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Statistics Canada - Government of Canada


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Justice – Social indicators

a. Number of offences, 1980, 1990, 1997 to 2004
  1980 1990 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Total, Criminal Code, excluding traffic
2,045,398
2,627,197
2,534,766
2,461,156
2,356,831
2,352,768
2,374,811
2,417,444
2,579,172
2,571,860
Total, crimes of violence
155,863
269,507
296,890
296,166
291,327
302,098
305,186
303,946
305,667
302,257
Homicide
592
660
586
558
538
546
553
582
549
622
Assault, levels 1 to 3
..
190,337
222,397
223,926
221,348
233,719
236,957
235,710
236,802
233,774
Robbery
24,581
28,109
29,587
28,963
28,740
27,037
27,284
26,662
28,437
27,477
Total, property crimes
1,334,619
1,554,348
1,459,536
1,377,901
1,299,981
1,252,387
1,241,936
1,246,481
1,305,229
1,274,931
Breaking and entering
349,694
379,364
373,316
350,774
318,054
293,357
279,461
275,573
284,925
274,717
Theft, motor vehicles
93,928
114,082
177,130
165,920
161,388
160,315
168,595
161,912
174,208
169,544
Total, drugs
74,196
60,645
66,593
70,921
80,142
88,091
89,395
92,781
86,791
97,135
Other Criminal Code1
554,916
803,342
778,340
787,089
765,523
798,283
827,689
867,017
968,276
994,672
Criminal Code, traffic2
..
227,201
155,228
141,153
117,650
112,445
120,234
117,571
117,119
118,859
1. Other Criminal Code includes offences such as prostitution, gambling, possession of offensive weapon, missing court date, etc.
2. Criminal Code traffic includes offences such as dangerous operation of a vehicle, impaired driving, etc.
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table 252-0013.
b. Rate per 100,000 population, 1980, 1990, 1997 to 2004
  1980 1990 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Total, Criminal Code, excluding traffic
8,343
9,484
8,475
8,161
7,752
7,666
7,655
7,706
8,146
8,051
Total, crimes of violence
636
973
993
982
958
984
984
969
965
946
Homicide
2.4
2.4
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.8
1.9
1.7
2.0
Assault, levels 1 to 3
..
687
744
743
728
762
764
751
748
732
Robbery
100
101
99
96
95
88
88
85
90
86
Total, property crimes
5,444
5,611
4,880
4,569
4,276
4,081
4,004
3,973
4,123
3,991
Breaking and entering
1,426
1,370
1,248
1,163
1,046
956
901
878
900
860
Theft, motor vehicles
383
412
592
550
531
522
543
516
550
531
Total, drugs
303
219
223
235
264
287
288
296
274
304
Other Criminal Code1
2,263
2,900
2,603
2,610
2,518
2,601
2,668
2,764
3,058
3,114
Criminal Code, traffic2
..
820
519
468
387
366
388
375
370
372
1. Other Criminal Code includes offences such as prostitution, gambling, possession of offensive weapon, missing court date, etc.
2. Criminal Code traffic includes offences such as dangerous operation of a vehicle, impaired driving, etc.
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table 252-0013.
c. Adult prison court sentences, 1997 to 2003
  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Total offences
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
43.2
44.3
43.4
42.9
42.1
41.5
41.3
Average length of sentence in months
4.3
4.6
4.3
4.2
4.1
3.8
3.8
Total Criminal Code
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
43.1
44.2
43.4
43.0
42.3
41.7
41.3
Average length of sentence in months
4.1
4.3
4.2
4.1
4.0
3.8
3.7
Crimes against the person
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
33.0
33.5
32.5
32.1
31.5
30.6
30.0
Average length of sentence in months
7.3
7.8
7.6
7.5
7.8
7.2
7.3
Homicide
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
76.8
82.9
86.4
85.5
87.1
90.8
83.3
Average length of sentence in months
124.7
114.2
122.1
136.1
130.0
145.5
135.3
Crimes against property
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
40.3
42.3
41.3
40.4
40.5
40.5
40.2
Average length of sentence in months
4.6
4.7
4.5
4.4
3.9
3.8
3.7
Criminal Code traffic
Percentage sentenced cases resulting in prison term
52.4
55.7
54.8
54.1
52.7
52.0
51.4
Average length of sentence in months
2.2
2.6
2.5
2.5
2.6
2.5
2.5
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table 252-0021.