Crime and justice

Description: The National Fire Information Database (NFID) is a pilot project with the objective of gathering ten years of microdata information on fire incidents and fire losses from provincial/territorial Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners Offices across Canada, standardizing the data, and creating a centralized national system for the collection of fire statistics.

Description: The objective of the Canadian Correctional Services Survey (CCSS) is to collect detailed information on each person who is supervised by a correctional services program in Canada for all or part of a fiscal year, including both adults and youth.

Description: The purpose of this survey is to collect information on Canadians' experiences related to their safety in public and private spaces. Questions are asked about these personal experiences at home, in the workplace, in public spaces and online.

Description: The purpose of the Canadian Victim Services Indicators (CVSI) project is to collect aggregate statistics from victim services directorates with provincial and territorial governments to provide information on the characteristics of victims accessing services, the types of services utilized, and case load demands in order to better develop programs and services for victims of violence.

Description: The primary objective of this survey is to better understand how Canadian students perceive their personal safety in the school-related environment, as well as their experiences of victimization in this setting. The information will be used by governments to develop and implement programs and policies to help Canadian postsecondary students.

Description: The purpose of the Survey on Sexual Misconduct at Work (SSMW) is to obtain an accurate picture of the nature, extent, and impact of: inappropriate sexual behaviours; discriminatory behaviours based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity; and sexual victimization within Canadian work-related settings.

Description: The purpose of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian Victim Services survey is to collect information on the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on the operations of Canadian victim service programs, including factors that have affected their ability to provide services and how they have adapted their operations to continue to serve victims.

Description: The purpose of the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) is to identify the kinds of serious problems people face, how they attempt to resolve them, and how these experiences may impact their lives. The information collected will be used to better understand the various methods people use to resolve problems - not just formal systems such as courts and tribunals, but also informal channels such as self-help strategies.

Description: Data from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada will be used to create an indicator for the Gender Results Framework. The purpose is to present the gender distribution of federally appointed judges in federal, provincial and territorial courts.

Description: This is non-Statistics Canada information.

Description: One day snapshot of residents (number, percent) in residential facilities for victims of abuse, by reason for seeking shelter, Canada, Province or territory, reference year.

Description: One day snapshot of women and accompanying children (number, percent) residing in residential facilities for victims of abuse compared with individuals living in Canada, by selected characteristics, Canada, Province or territory, reference year.

Description: One day snapshot of women and accompanying children (number, percent, rate per 100,000) residing in residential facilities for victims of abuse, by age group, Canada, region, reference year.

Description: One day snapshot of women (percent) residing in residential facilities for victims of abuse, by type of abuse experienced, Canada, Province or territory, reference year.

Description: One day snapshot of women (number, percent) residing in residential facilities for victims of abuse, by relationship of abuser to the adult female, Canada, Province or territory, reference year.

Description: Percent of residential facilities for victims of abuse offering selected services, Canada, region, reference year.

Description: Maintenance enforcement programs, by interjurisdictional support order status and enrolment events, Canada and selected provinces and territories, five years of data.

Description: Maintenance enforcement programs, by age of children, length of enrolment of case and number of children in cases, Canada and selected provinces and territories, five years of data.

Description: Maintenance enforcement programs, by activity status, type of payment, compliance with regular and total payment, arrears status at beginning of March of fiscal year and payment assignment status, Canada and selected provinces and territories, five years of data.

Description: Maintenance enforcement programs, by activity status, type of payment, compliance with regular and total payment, arrears status at beginning of March of fiscal year and payment assignment status, Canada and selected provinces and territories, five years of data.

Description:

The report, which represents the first phase of a special study commissioned by the National Justice Statistics Initiative, is intended as a reference document on administrative and operational policies with respect to alternative measures for both youth and adults in Canada. The study focussed on the collection of national descriptive information on the organization and delivery of youth and adult alternative measures established pursuant to the Young Offenders Act (Canada) (1984) and the Sentencing Reform Act (1996).

Topics covered include the philosophy of the alternative measures, responsibility for program delivery, referral agent, the role of the police, the Crown, and the victim, the right to legal counsel. Eligibility criteria, a flowchart outlining the alternative measures process, a description of the alternative measures agreement, the range of alternative measures, the supervision of and completion of the agreement, and information regarding record keeping requirements. Where available, appendices have been attached that provide samples of forms currently in use in the jurisdiction as well as any currently available alternative measures data. It is important to note that data contained in the jurisdictional appendices are provided as a sample only. No analysis has been performed on the data nor have any inter-jurisdictional comparisons been made as there has been no attempt to ensure standard definition or time frames for the data.

Description:

This Juristat profiles three populations of inmates: women, Aboriginal people and individuals serving life sentences. These data are based on a census of adult inmates on register in all adult correctional facilities as of midnight October 5th, 1996. Data were obtained through administrative records.

While the general population in Canada was made up almost equally of men and women, women comprised only 5% of prisoners in correctional facilities on October 5, 1996. Female inmates tended to be in their early 30s, single, with grade 9 education or less, and unemployed at the time of admission. They were considered at lower risk to re-offend than men.

Aboriginal people were over-represented in the prison system. Although they comprised only 2% of the general adult population, they accounted for 17% of the prison population. They were younger on average than non-Aboriginal inmates, had less education and were more likely to have been unemployed. They were also considered at higher risk to re-offend, and they had a higher set of needs than non-Aboriginal inmates (including, substance abuse, employment, personal needs and family/marital needs).

The data also showed that as of midnight October 5th, 1996, inmates serving a life sentence comprised nearly one-fifth (18%) of the nearly 13,900 inmates in federal prisons. A person can be given a life sentence if they have been convicted of offences such as first degree or second-degree murder. Parole eligibility varies from minimum ten years served to minimum 25 years served.

Individuals serving life sentences tended to be older and less educated than others in the prison population. The median age for lifers on snapshot day was 39, compared with 33 for other inmates. More than one-half (56%) of lifers had a grade 9 education or less, compared with 44% of other inmates.

In addition, a majority (84%) of inmates serving life sentences were considered at high risk to re-offend, a much higher proportion than the 53% of other inmates. Not surprisingly, lifers also had a higher set of needs, that is, problem areas requiring intervention, such as personal and emotional issues, marital and family problems, attitude and problems functioning in the community.

For more information or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, or to order a copy of the Juristat, contact Information and Client Services (613-951-9023 or 1-800-387-2231), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

Description:

This series of reports provides detailed statistics and analysis on a variety of topics and issues concerning Canada's justice system. Annual Juristats are produced on areas such as: crime, homicide, youth and adult courts, and corrections. Additional Juristats are also produced each year on current topics of interest to the justice community. This is a unique periodical, of great interest to those who have to plan, establish, administer and evaluate justice programs and projects, or anyone who has an interest in Canada's justice system.

Description:

Over the past twenty years, there has been growing public awareness and concern about the occurrence of sexual offending and the personal and societal costs associated with these acts. There has been a gradual reduction in the stigma associated with being a victim of these crimes and, as supports for victims have developed, there has been an apparent increased willingness of victims to report these crimes to police, often long after the abuse has occurred. In many cases, the perpetrators of these crimes are in trusted positions of authority and the victims are dependent children. This Juristat presents statistical data on the prevalence of sexual offences reported to the police and the characteristics of the offenders and victims involved. It also highlights some of the salient issues associated with the response of the justice system and the public to offenders and their victims. Data sources include statistics collected by the police, courts and correctional institutions. These official sources probably represent only a small portion of all sexual offences and offenders, since results from victimization surveys suggest that as many as 90% of all sexual offences are not reported to the police. Data concerning victims of sexual offences, including information available from victimization surveys, are presented in the final section of this report.

Description:

Providing effective treatment and rehabilitation of young offenders, and ensuring the safety of Canadian communities are primary objectives of the youth justice system. The Young Offenders Act, proclaimed in 1984, introduced rights for adolescents previously guaranteed for adults only; recognized the special needs of youths due to varying levels of maturity; the necessity for youths to accept responsibility for unlawful action; and the right of society to protection from illegal behaviour. In response to concerns about the effectiveness of the law, the current Young Offenders Act will soon be replaced by new legislation. The Youth Court Survey, through the collection and dissemination of youth court information, continues to assist policy-makers and program managers as they redefine the nature of Canada’s youth justice system. The Youth Court Survey captures the court process and response to youth crime rather the prevalence of criminal activity.

Description:

This study describes people who were incarcerated in federal and provincial/territorial adult facilities at midnight on October 5, 1996. A census was used to gather data on facilities, inmates and security issues.

Description:

This issue of Juristat focuses principally on criminal drug offences reported by Canadian police services. It sketches a statistical profile of drug crimes and drug offenders, while examining the various types of offences and drugs involved. The report also examines national trends as well as provincial/territorial comparisons. Other information sources are used to describe the attitudes of Canadians toward the drug problem and the reaction of the courts to those appearing on drug charges.

Description:

Both police officers and private security personnel play a key role in society; however, the line between the two professions is becoming less clearly defined as the use of private security increases. This article discusses the differences between public and private security. It includes information on roles and responsibilities, as well as minimum requirements and training. (Adapted from an article in Juristat published in November 1998.)

Description:

This report has two components. The first is an analytical component which examines trends in police personnel and expenditures at the national, provincial and census metropolitan area (CMA) levels, including data by rank and gender. Appropriate context is also included in terms of recent developments in the police community such as community policing and private security.

The second component is a tabular component which summarizes crime, personnel and expenditure statistics for all municipal police departments in Canada. Key ratios such as per officer strengths, per capita costs, clearance rates, and violent and property crime rates are included for each force.

Justice issues addressed: Policing accounts for approximately 60% of all justice expenditures. While crime remains high on the list of public concerns, governments have been forced to make cuts to most public sector areas, including policing. The analysis of trends in key ratios such as per capita costs, population per officer, police to civilian ratios, and the number of offences per officer can help shed some light on how the police community has responded to this changing environment.

Description:

During 1997-98, adult criminal courts in the nine participating jurisdictions disposed of 411,576 cases, involving 864,837 charges.

Description: The primary objective of this survey is to better understand how Canadian students perceive their personal safety in the school-related environment, as well as their experiences of victimization in this setting. The information will be used by governments to develop and implement programs and policies to help Canadian postsecondary students.

Description: The purpose of the Survey on Sexual Misconduct at Work (SSMW) is to obtain an accurate picture of the nature, extent, and impact of: inappropriate sexual behaviours; discriminatory behaviours based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity; and sexual victimization within Canadian work-related settings.

Description: The purpose of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian Victim Services survey is to collect information on the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on the operations of Canadian victim service programs, including factors that have affected their ability to provide services and how they have adapted their operations to continue to serve victims.

Description: The purpose of the Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) is to identify the kinds of serious problems people face, how they attempt to resolve them, and how these experiences may impact their lives. The information collected will be used to better understand the various methods people use to resolve problems - not just formal systems such as courts and tribunals, but also informal channels such as self-help strategies.

Description: Data from the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada will be used to create an indicator for the Gender Results Framework. The purpose is to present the gender distribution of federally appointed judges in federal, provincial and territorial courts.

Description: This is non-Statistics Canada information.