Accused persons living in rural areas and their subsequent contacts with police, 2014 to 2023

Release date: December 9, 2025

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Infographic: Accused persons living in rural areas and their subsequent contacts with police, 2014 to 2023 — Description: Accused persons living in rural areas and their subsequent contacts with police, 2014 to 2023

**In 2014, 436,915 individuals living in the Canadian provinces were accused of a crime by police.**

**25%** were living in a rural area at the time of their first contact with police, while **75%** were living in an urban area.^{Note 1}

From 2014 to 2023, **67%** of accused persons **living in a rural area had at least 1 subsequent contact**^{Note 2} with police for a violent, property or other *Criminal Code* (excluding traffic) offence, compared with **57%** living in urban areas.

**37%** of accused persons had subsequent contact with police **within a year** of their first contact

Rural areas: **41%** of accused persons

Urban areas: **35%** of accused persons

Proportion of accused persons who had **subsequent contact with police within a year** of their first contact

Table 1 Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of subsequent contacts (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).

Number of subsequent contacts Accused persons living in rural areas Accused persons living in urban areas

1 12% 16%

2 to 5 29% 33%

More than 5 59% 51%

**In rural areas, 20%** of accused persons were responsible for **68%** of initial and subsequent contacts with police.

**Source:** Savage, L., 2025, “Patterns of re-offending among accused persons living in rural areas of the Canadian provinces, 2014 to 2023,” *Juristat*, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 85-002-X.

Notes

Footnote 1.

Data are police-reported and taken from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. They include all individuals who, at the time of their first contact with police in 2014, were living in the Canadian provinces and were accused of committing a violent, property or other *Criminal Code* (excluding traffic) offence.

Return to note 1 referrer

Footnote 2.

A subsequent contact refers to any new contact with police for violent, property or other *Criminal Code* (excluding traffic) offences following an initial contact. This includes incidents resulting in a new charge being laid or recommended as well as incidents cleared by other means.

Return to note 2 referrer

Table 1 Table summary
The information is grouped by Number of subsequent contacts (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Number of subsequent contacts	Accused persons living in rural areas	Accused persons living in urban areas
1	12%	16%
2 to 5	29%	33%
More than 5	59%	51%

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Date modified:: 2025-12-09

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Accused persons living in rural areas and their subsequent contacts with police, 2014 to 2023