Female offenders in Canada

Using administrative data, this Juristat is intended to provide a profile of female offenders in Canada. Police-reported data are used to present information on the nature and extent of crime among female youth and adults in 2005 and then examine trends in the rate of female youth and adults charged by police with violent and property offences from 1986 to 2005. Data are compared with crime rates among male youth and adults to illustrate differences in levels and patterns of offending. The report also examines the processing of female youth and adults through the courts and provides characteristics of adult females under federal and provincial/territorial corrections. Again, comparisons are drawn with court activity involving males and with adults males under correctional services.