NCJ Number
63138
Date Published
1979
Length
36 pages
Annotation
RECENT TRENDS IN THE CANADIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE ILLUSTRATED BY CHARTS AND GRAPHS. THE MATERIAL IS GROUPED INTO FOUR SECTIONS TO HELP IDENTIFY ISSUES WHICH MUST BE PURSUED IN THE 1980'S.
Abstract
THE CANADIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM EMPLOYS 100,000 PERSONS AND HOLDS 23,000 OFFENDERS IN ITS INSTITUTIONS ON ANY GIVEN DAY. THE FOUR MAJOR CATEGORIES COVERED IN THE REPORT ARE CRIME AND ITS IMPACT; PERSONS PROCESSED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM; CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPENDITURE AND WORKLOADS; AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EFFECTIVENESS, PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS, AND THE NEXT 10 YEARS. SINCE 1970, BOTH PROPERTY AND VIOLENT CRIMES HAVE INCREASED IN CANADA. ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE INCREASE MAY BE DUE TO IMPROVED POLICE RECORDING AND POSSIBLY INCREASED REPORTING BY THE PUBLIC, CANADIANS REMAIN MORE LIKELY TO BE THE VICTIM OF A PROPERTY CRIME THAN OF VIOLENCE, AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE CRIME VICTIMS TODAY THAN 10 YEARS AGO. OVER ONE-THIRD OF LEGALLY DEFINED SERIOUS CRIME IS NEVER REPORTED TO THE POLICE, AND ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR RESULTS IN ARREST. HOWEVER, THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN THE PROPORTION OF PERSONS IN CUSTODY REMANDED FOR TRIAL. IN 1977, NEARLY 240 OUT OF EVERY 365 TAX DOLLARS SPENT ON CRIMNAL JUSTICE SERVICES WERE DEVOTED TO POLICE. INTERNATIONAL TRENDS IN RESEARCH ON POLICE EFFECTIVENESS SERIOUSLY QUESTION THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE USE OF INCREASED RESOURCES FOR POLICE OR CORRECTIONS, IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO THE PAST, IS LIKELY TO REDUCE CRIME OR IMPROVE PUBLIC FEELINGS OF SECURITY. HOWEVER, SEVERAL AREAS MAY SHOW LARGE BENEFITS FROM SMALL INVESTMENTS. TABLES, GRAPHS, AND CHARTS INDICATE STATISTICAL TRENDS. TEXT IS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND FRENCH. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--PRG)