Crime and justice

Description:

This edition of Juristat provides a profile of motor vehicle theft in Canada. It examines the international trends, methods and prevalence of organized crime in Canadian auto theft, as well as recent auto-theft prevention programs and strategies.

Description:

Cyber-crime is a global problem that in many instances transcends national borders. Historically, compiling meaningful statistics about this activity has been difficult because of the reluctance on the part of victims to report these offences to police. However, because of the financial losses sustained, an increasing number of these crimes are being reported to police. As a result, federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as the police community, are interested in analyzing national trends on cyber-crime and their impact on Canadians.

In response to this need for information, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) conducted a Special Study to examine the issues and data sources related to cyber-crime and to investigate the feasibility of collecting quantitative data from police services in Canada. This report examines definitions of cyber-crime, current legislation in Canada and other countries, existing data sources, summarizes results from consultations with selected police forces, and presents options for collecting cyber-crime data from police agencies.

Description:

This issue of Juristat examines how much is being spent to operate the justice system in Canada. Trends in spending and personnel are discussed for policing, courts, legal aid, criminal prosecutions, and corrections. The report data come from several sources, including the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics' resource, Statistics Canada's Financial Management System, and expenditure and personnel surveys. The data cover the period up to 2000-2001.

Description:

The Adult Correctional Services Survey (ACSS) collects annual aggregate data from all jurisdictions on the delivery of adult correctional services from both the provincial, territorial and federal correctional systems. Key themes include the average daily counts of adults in custodial facilities, including remand, as well as monthly counts of probationers; and new admissions (commencements) to correctional programs of sentenced custody, probation, conditional sentences and other community-based programs. The survey also captures information on conditional releases to the community, including parole and statutory release. In addition, the survey collects information on the financial and human resources involved in the delivery of adult correctional services. While trends are presented for the key units of count, the reference period for this release is 2000-2001.

Description:

In January 1999, the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) received a commitment of four years funding from the federal government's Policy Research Initiative (PRI) to conduct a study on hate crime in Canada. The purpose of the overall study is to enhance our understanding of hate crime and to assess the feasibility of collecting police-reported hate crime statistics in Canada. In 2001, the CCJS released a report entitled "Hate crime in Canada: an overview of issues and data sources", catalogue no. 85-551-XIE.

This report helped to address some questions regarding the nature and magnitude of hate crimes in Canada, although certain data gaps were identified. As a result, it was determined that a pilot survey should be conducted with police departments that collect hate crime statistics. In order to determine specific information needs for the pilot survey, consultations were held with a number of academics; members of various non-governmental and community organizations; and federal and provincial departments responsible for the administration of justice, as well as police departments.

The information contained in this report provides a summary of the consultations that were held between September 2001 and March 2002.

Description:

The Juristat publication, "Pilot analysis of recidivism among convicted youth and young adults, 1999/00," summarizes trends from the provincial/territorial courts across Canada that provided data to the Adult Criminal Court Survey (ACCS) and the Youth Court Survey (YCS). This report attempts to gauge the prevalence of recidivism in young adults by examining the conviction histories of young adults convicted in Canadian criminal courts in 1999-2000. It also examines the transition from youth to adult offending, including patterns of re-offending, differences in conviction histories by age of onset and the impact of conviction history on court sentencing.

Description:

This Juristat presents and analyzes information on young offender admissions to custody and community services, with breakdowns by custody (remand, secure, and open) and probation, and key case characteristics such as age, sex, Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal status, and most serious offence. In addition, it includes data pertaining to releases from remand, secure custody, and open custody by sex and time served. These breakdowns are presented and analyzed at the national and provincial/territorial level.

Alternative measures refer to formalized programs across Canada through which persons who would otherwise proceed to court are dealt with via non-judicial sanctions. An analysis on alternative measures includes data pertaining to the participation and agreement by the youth to enter these community-based alternatives. The key case characteristics of this survey are similar to those collected by the Youth Custody and Community Services survey.

The Youth Key Indicators describe average daily counts (caseload), which measure the volume of offenders held in custody or on probation on an average day. This information also provides an examination of youth incarceration and probation rates in Canada.

Data summarized in this Juristat are primarily drawn from three perspectives: 1) The Youth Custody and Community Services (YCCS) survey. The scope of the survey is to collect and analyze information on the application of dispositions under the Young Offenders Act from provincial and territorial agencies responsible for youth corrections and programs. 2) The Alternative Measures survey, which collects and analyzes data on the number of agreements achieved and completed. And, 3) The Youth Key Indicator Report that measures the average counts of youth in custody (remand, secure and open) and on probation.

Description:

This publication presents data on young offender admissions to custody and community services, with breakdowns by custody (remand, secure, open) and probation, and key case characteristics, such as age, sex, Aboriginal/non-Aboriginal status and most serious offence. In addition, it includes data pertaining to releases from remand, secure custody and open custody, by sex and time served. These breakdowns are presented at the national and provincial/territorial levels.

Data presented in this publication are drawn from two primary sources: 1) The Youth Custody and Community Services (YCCS) Survey. The objective of this survey is to collect and analyse information on the application of dispositions under the Young Offenders Act from provincial and territorial agencies responsible for youth corrections and programs. 2) The Youth Key Indicator Report (YKIR). This survey measures the average counts of youth in custody (remand, secure and open) and on probation. The YKIR describes average daily counts (caseload), which measure the volume of offenders held in custody or on probation on an average day at month-end. This information also provides an examination of youth incarceration and probation rates in Canada.

Description:

Recognizing that there is the need for better information and statistics on organized crime, and for methodologies to measure its impact on Canadians, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for Justice have endorsed a plan to begin addressing Canada's data gap in the area of organized crime.

The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics was contracted by the Solicitor General of Canada to investigate the feasibility of collecting quantitative data on organized crime. This report highlights the lessons learned during consultations with selected police intelligence units and it presents a number of options for data collection.

Description:

This annual report is an examination of homicide in Canada. Detailed information is presented on the characteristics of homicide incidents (murder, manslaughter and infanticide), and, within the context of both short and long-term trends, the victims and accused. Geographical patterns of homicide are examined at the national and provincial/territorial levels, as well as for major metropolitan areas. Other key themes include international comparisons of homicide, gang-related homicides, firearm-related homicides, youth homicide and family (including spousal) homicides. The data are intended to respond to the needs of those who work in the criminal justice system, as well as to inform researchers, policy analysts, academics, the media and the public on the nature and extent of homicide in Canada.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police, 1998 to 2023.

Description:

Number and proportion of sexual assaults that were deemed unfounded, Canada, provinces, territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Canadian Forces Military Police.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in the Atlantic provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick), 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in Quebec, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in Ontario, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in Manitoba, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in Saskatchewan, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in Alberta, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in British Columbia, 1998 to 2023.

Description: Incident-based crime statistics (actual incidents, rate per 100,000 population, percentage change in rate, unfounded incidents, percent unfounded, total cleared, cleared by charge, cleared otherwise, persons charged, adults charged, youth charged / not charged), by detailed violations (violent, property, traffic, drugs, other Federal Statutes), police services in the Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), 1998 to 2023.

Description:

First Nations, Métis and Inuit people are overrepresented among victims of violence; a violence that may be rooted in the traumatic history of colonialization. In efforts to better understand the causes, consequences, nature and extent of violent victimization of Indigenous people in Canada, this Juristat article presents data from multiple sources, including the 2019 General Social Survey on Canadian’s Safety (victimization), the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces and the Homicide Survey. More specifically, the analysis will focus on lifetime and recent experiences (past 12 months) of violent victimization, trends in spousal violence and homicide, history of childhood abuse or neglect, perceptions of safety from crime, perceptions of the police and experiences of discrimination. Sociodemographic, economic and community-level characteristics statistically associated with these issues will be explored. Whenever possible, data will be disaggregated by Indigenous groups.

Description: This Juristat article examines self-reported and police-reported data on seniors’ experiences with violent victimization, and their perceptions of personal safety in Canada. It provides information on annual trends, and discusses characteristics of victims, incidents and accused persons.

Description:

This Juristat article examines human trafficking incidents that were reported to police between 2010 and 2020. Information on rates of victimization—and characteristics of victims and accused persons—is presented. In addition, prior contact with police among accused persons and court outcomes are examined.

Description:

This infographic discusses human trafficking incidents that were reported to police between 2010 and 2020.

Description:

This Juristat article examines the nature and prevalence of firearm-related violent crime in Canada. Trends in firearm-related violent crime between 2009 and 2020 are presented at the national, provincial/territorial and census metropolitan area levels as well as for urban and rural regions. Using data from the Uniform Crime Reporting and Homicide Surveys, this article provides information on violent crime involving firearms in Canada including an examination of the types of firearms (such as handguns, rifles, or shotguns) which are most commonly involved in firearm-related violent crime. It also addresses characteristics of the incidents, victims, and accused persons, such as gang-related violence, accused-victim relationships, clearance status, age of victims and accused persons, and types of offence that most commonly involve firearms.

Description:

Online child sexual exploitation and abuse encompasses a wide range of behaviours, situations, and things, and bestrides criminal thresholds and geographical boundaries. With technological advancements and the proliferation of smart devices in recent years, the current prevalence of this crime in Canada is not known. Using data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey and the Integrated Criminal Court Survey, this article aims to shed light on the extent and nature of online child sexual exploitation and abuse that come to the attention of Canadian authorities. The article examines the types of incidents reported to police, including child pornography, and the characteristics of victims and accused persons identified in connection with these incidents.

Further, an analysis of court data is presented, examining the types of charges processed in Canadian courts related to sexual offences against children that were likely facilitated online. Some characteristics of adults and youth accused are presented, along with the outcome of the charges laid against them, including sentencing information for those who were found guilty.

Description: This article examines the experiences Indigenous women in Canada, and where possible provides results for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Indigenous identity groups. The focus is on experiences of violent victimization and perceptions of neighbourhood, safety, and the criminal justice system. The prevalence of gender-based violent victimization in Canada is examined using self-reported data from the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces. Data from the 2019 General Social Survey (GSS) on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization) is used to explore confidence in police and criminal courts, as well as perceptions of neighbourhood cohesion and disorder. In addition, homicide data highlights the prevalence and characteristics of homicide of Indigenous women in Canada.

Description: This Juristat article presents findings on the prevalence and characteristics of violence against women in remote areas of Canada. Using data from the 2019 General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization), the 2019 Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, and the 2018 Survey of Safety in Public and Private Spaces, it explores both self-reported and police-reported victimization of women aged 15 and older in areas of Canada which are considered to be remote by the Remoteness Index. Analysis includes intimate partner violence as well as violence committed by non-intimate partners, and various sociodemographic factors are considered. Women’s perceptions of safety are also presented.

Description: This article uses data from the 2020/2021 cycle of the Survey of Residential Facilities for Victims of Abuse to examine the characteristics of facilities in Canada that are primarily mandated to serve victims of abuse (defined as ongoing Victimization). The article outlines the profile of residents served by the facilities, the types of services offered and operational information including revenues, expenses, admissions, length of stay and challenges faced. Information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these facilities are also presented.

Description:

This infographic presents characteristics of Canadian residential facilities for victims of abuse. Data from the 2020/2021 Survey of Residential Facilities for Victims of Abuse are analyzed to provide a one-day snapshot of the characteristics of the residents being served. It also includes information on annual admissions, occupancy rates and capacity, turn-aways, and challenges facing facilities and their residents. Information regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these facilities are also presented. For detailed information, see the full Juristat article: "Canadian residential facilities for victims of abuse, 2020/2021".

Description: The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition.

The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

Description:

The Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) is an area-based index which uses Census of Population microdata to measure four key dimensions of deprivation at the dissemination area (DA)-level: residential instability, economic dependency, situational vulnerability and ethno-cultural composition. The CIMD allows for an understanding of inequalities in various measures of health and social well-being. While it is a geographically-based index of deprivation and marginalization, it can also be used as a proxy for an individual. The CIMD has the potential to be widely used by researchers on a variety of topics related to socio-economic research. Other uses for the index may include: policy planning and evaluation, or resource allocation.

Description:

The User Guide for the Canadian Index of Multiple Deprivation (CIMD) outlines uses for the index, as well as it provides a brief description of the methodology behind the development of the index. This User Guide also provides instructions on how to use the index, and lists considerations when using the CIMD data.

Description:

This objective of this report is to present the status of national data on Aboriginal people who come into contact with the criminal justice system as offenders and victims. The report examines the current and potential collection of an individual's Aboriginal identity through various justice-related surveys at Statistics Canada, the challenges within these surveys to collect these data and provides some insight into the quality of these data. The data and sources are examined within the context of information needs for the justice and social policy sectors, and in relation to the preferred method of measuring Aboriginal Identity at Statistics Canada. Data sources examined include the Incident-based Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, the Homicide Survey, the Integrated Criminal Courts Survey, the Adult Corrections Survey, the Youth Custody and Community Services Survey, the Youth Alternative Measures Survey, the Transition Home Survey, the Victim Services Survey and the General Social Survey on Victimization. Finally, the report briefly describes efforts by other countries to improve justice-related information on their indigenous populations.

Description:

This report presents a description of the organization and operation of provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement programs. It describes the relevant provincial legislation, highlights latest developments, provides a general description of each program, describes how each manages cases, intake/withdrawal procedures, tracing, monitoring, payment processing and enforcement practices. As such, the reader will be able to identify the variations and similarities between the various programs. All of the maintenance enforcement programs rely upon several federal acts to collect, trace and enforce support payments. Therefore, a review of the relevant federal legislation is presented first, followed by a description of each provincial and territorial maintenance enforcement program.

Description:

This publication describes the structure and administration of provincial/territorial legal aid services in Canada. It also includes information on legislation, organization, coverage, eligibility, duty counsel and tariffs.

Description:

This publication includes a list of federal and provincial courts across the country. The purpose of this directory is to identify all courts (permanent and most frequently visited circuit points) in Canada by type, level, and location.

Description: The purpose of this survey is to collect education related financial data on all reform and correctional institutions in Canada. These data are used to supplement data collected from the Provincial Public Accounts on provincial expenditures on education.

Description: The purpose of the Police Administration Survey (PAS) is to collect statistics on public policing personnel and expenditures from municipal, provincial and federal police services in Canada. The information collected is used by federal and provincial policy makers, individual police services as well as officials responsible for police budgets. The data are also used by the media for the purpose of providing information to the general public.

Description: The Uniform Crime Reporting Survey was designed to measure the incidence of crime in Canadian society and its characteristics. The information is used by federal and provincial policy makers as well as public and private researchers.