NCJ Number
55262
Date Published
1979
Length
28 pages
Annotation
STATISTICS DOCUMENTING ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITY AMONG CANADIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES DURING 1978 ARE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED.
Abstract
CANADA'S PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ACT REQUIRES THAT AN APPLICATION FOR AUTHORIZATION TO INTERCEPT PRIVATE COMMUNICATIONS BE APPROVED BY THE IMMEDIATE SUPERIORS OF THE INVESTIGATOR MAKING THE REQUEST, BY AN AGENT OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, AND BY A JUDGE OF A SUPERIOR COURT OF CRIMINAL JURISDICTION. THE REPORT DOCUMENTS THE NUMBERS OF AUTHORIZATIONS THAT WERE GRANTED AND DENIED IN 1978, THE NUMBER OF PERSONS IDENTIFIED THROUGH ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS, NOTIFICATION OF PERSONS WHOSE COMMUNICATIONS WERE INTERCEPTED, METHODS OF INTERCEPTION, THE TYPES OF CRIMES INVOLVED, AND THE ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS IN WHICH ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE PLAYED A PART. THE SINGLE MOST SIGNIFICANT ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE OPERATION DURING THE YEAR RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF FIVE DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND THE SEIZURE OF 13.6 TONS OF MARIHUANA, STREET VALUE $35 MILLION. IN ADDITION TO THE 1978 STATISTICS, THE REPORT PRESENTS UPDATED FIGURES FOR 1974 THROUGH 1977. ALSO INCLUDED IS A TABLE SUMMARIZING KEY STATISTICS (AUTHORIZATIONS GRANTED, NUMBER OF ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS, AUTHORIZATION-ARREST RATIO, ARREST-CONVICTION RATIO) FOR EACH YEAR SINCE THE PROTECTION OF PRIVACY ACT WAS PASSED. --IN ENGLISH AND FRENCH. (LKM)