NCJ Number
141840
Date Published
1992
Length
154 pages
Annotation
Bill C-15, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Evidence Act, aimed to provide better protection to Canadian child sexual abuse victims, enhance successful prosecution of child sexual abuse cases, improve the experience of child victim/witnesses, and make sentencing commensurate with the crime.
Abstract
This study uses data collected from police files, court transcripts, court observations, key informants, and local newspapers to examine the nature of the child victim/witness experience in light of Bill C-15 and to identify the degree to which the legislation's goals have been achieved. Despite the bill's implementation, there were significant differences between the Saskatoon and Regina police departments in terms of reporting, unfounded, and clearance rates of child sexual abuse cases. Regina had lower levels of reporting, but higher levels of unfounded and clearance rates. Of the 1,014 substantiated occurrences reported in Saskatoon and Regina, 520 cases were prosecuted, for a total of 796 charges. Of these, 46.9 percent went to trial, 35.9 percent went to preliminary inquiry, and 17.1 percent pleaded guilty. The two most common methods of disposition were incarceration and incarceration with probation. The police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges who were interviewed for this survey basically reported few substantive problems with Bill C-15. While there was general agreement that testifying is traumatic for child witnesses, judges have been allowing evidentiary procedures including supporting adults in the courtroom, videotaped testimony, and the use of toys and props. 29 tables