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British Columbia - The Best Place on Earth -

Just ask our criminals…

By Gerry Wickstead

Investigating Crime and Issuing Criminal Charges in Canada

22 Crime Categories over seven years (1997-2003)

Solving ALL CRIMINAL INCIDENTS (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 10th place among 10 provinces

14.5% charge rate

477,097 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (23.6%)

2002 10th place among 10 provinces

16.0% charge rate

439,120 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (25.6%)

2001 10th place among 10 provinces

16.7% charge rate

428,258 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.4%)

2000 10th place among 10 provinces

17.9% charge rate

410,079 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.5%)

1999 10th place among 10 provinces

18.9% charge rate

411,449 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.2%)

1998 10th place among 10 provinces

18.3% charge rate

429,771 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (25.6%)

1997 10th place among 10 provinces

18.4% charge rate

443,462 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (25.3%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) All Criminal Incidents

Police reported incidents – in order of Highest to Lowest Charge Rates

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 994,843	171,201	17,209	52,731	30.8%
2^nd	Ontario 12,238,300	814,819	6,658	222,924	27.3%
3^rd	Alberta 3,153,723	349,831	11,093	92,805	26.5%
4^th	Manitoba 1,162,776	155,468	13,370	39,763	25.6%
5^th	Newfoundland 519,570	35,010	6,738	8,837	25.2%
6^th	Quebec 7,487,169	530,395	7,084	121,629	22.9%
7^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	86,150	9,204	19,570	22.7%
	CANADA 31,629,677	2,810,236	8,885	662,411	Canadian average 23.6%
8^th	New Brunswick 750,594	59,939	7,986	13,499	22.5%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	13,027	9,455	2,401	18.4%
0^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	558,182	13,461	81,085	* 14.5%

*Note: The total number of Incidents Cleared by Charge in British Columbia is actually lower than indicated. Criminal Charges initiated by Police in BC may have been Stayed / dropped by Crown Counsel causing the actual number of incidents cleared by charges to be lower. New Brunswick and Quebec have a similar prosecutor-based system. However these two provinces alter their Charge clearance numbers when Crown prosecutors drop charges while British Columbia does not.

“In New Brunswick and Quebec (for the Surete du Quebec only), the initial clearance status recommended by the police (e.g., cleared by a specific charge) is subject to approval by the Crown. Should the Crown find insufficient evidence to proceed with the charge, the police revise their records to take into account the recommendation by the Crown. According to the data element definition, a charge is cleared only if there is sufficient evidence to proceed. However, other jurisdictions, including British Columbia which has a system similar to Quebec, do not revise their internal records when the Crown disagrees with the police assessment of the evidence. For this reason, caution should be taken in making comparisons between jurisdictions for this data element. “

Source: Statistics Canada – Crime Statistics 2003 Catalogue no 85-205 Page 79

In 2003, those responsible for 85.5% of reported Crime (477,097 incidents) in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

If British Columbia’s charge rate matched the National Average then 50,794 more criminal incidents in BC would receive criminal charges.

In fact, British Columbia had more Unsolved crime than Overall Crime reported by the 5 combined provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Saskatchewan (171,201) +Manitoba (155,468) + Newfoundland (35,010) + New Brunswick (59,939) + P.E.I. (13,027)

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	153,203	15,142	50,722	33.1%
2^nd	Ontario 12,068,301	809,072	6,704	238,774	29.5%
3^rd	Alberta 3,113,586	318,818	10,240	91,846	28.8%
4^th	Manitoba 1,150,848	141,087	12,259	40,328	28.6%
5^th	Newfoundland 531,595	33,939	6,384	8,919	26.3%
	CANADA 31,629,677	2,634,551	8,387	675,805	Canadian average 25.6%
6^th	Quebec 7,455,208	476,543	6,392	121,227	25.4%
7^th	New Brunswick 756,652	56,856	7,514	13,663	24.0%
8^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	78,611	8,321	17,843	22.7%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 139,913	11,871	8,485	2,212	18.6%
10^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	522,663	12,621	83,543	16.0%*

In 2002, those responsible for 84% of reported Crime (439,120 incidents) were never criminally charged.

If British Columbia’s charge rate matched the National Average then 50,176 more criminal incidents in BC would receive criminal charges.

In fact, British Columbia had more Unsolved crime than Overall Crime reported by the 5 combined provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Saskatchewan (153,203) + Manitoba (141,087) + Newfoundland (33,939) + New Brunswick (56,856) + P.E.I. (11,871)

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	154,861	15,245	51,680	33.4%
2^nd	Ontario 11,874,436	851,568	7,171	262,712	30.9%
3^rd	Alberta 3,064,249	309,097	10,087	89,387	28.9%
4^th	Manitoba 1,150,034	141,418	12,297	40,575	28.7%
5^th	Newfoundland 533,761	33,616	6,298	9,617	28.6%
	CANADA 31,081,887	2,664496	8,573	704,525	Canadian average 26.4%
6^th	Quebec 7,410,504	484,487	6,538	124,449	25.7%
7^th	New Brunswick 757,077	56,998	7,529	14,518	25.5%
8^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	78,235	8,299	17,444	22.3%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 138,514	10,575	7,635	2,102	19.9%
10^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	514,358	12,558	86,100	16.7% *

In 2001, those responsible for 83.3% of reported Crime (428,258 incidents) were never criminally charged

If British Columbia’s charge rate matched the National Average then 49,893 more criminal incidents in BC would receive criminal charges

In fact, British Columbia had more Unsolved crime than Overall Crime reported by the 5 combined provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Saskatchewan (154,861) + Manitoba (141,418) + Newfoundland (33,616) + New Brunswick (56,998) +P.E.I. (10,575)

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,023,636	146,658	14,327	49,961	34.1%
2^nd	Alberta 2,997,236	290,400	9,689	88,750	30.6%
3^rd	Ontario 11,669,344	826,046	7,079	252,413	30.6%
4^th	Newfoundland 538,823	34,252	6,357	9,909	28.9%
5^th	Manitoba 1,147,880	133,957	11,670	38,354	28.6%
6^th	New Brunswick 756,598	57,018	7,536	15,800	27.7%
	CANADA 30,750,087	2,593,580	8,434	688,169	Canadian average 26.5%
7^th	Prince Edward Island 138,928	10,328	7,434	2,496	24.2%
8^th	Quebec 7,372,448	491,378	6,665	117,741	24.0%
9^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	77,470	8,233	17,520	22.6%
10^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	499,491	12,291	89,412	17.9% *

In British Columbia there were 410,079 reported Criminal incidents without criminal charges

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	142,040	13,820	51,243	36.1%
2^nd	Alberta 2,964,689	293,120	9,887	88,404	30.2%
3^rd	Newfoundland 541,000	35,133	6,494	10,497	30.0%
4^th	Ontario 11,513,808	841,302	7,307	239,623	28.5%
5^th	Manitoba 1,143,509	132,165	11,558	36,053	27.3%
6^th	New Brunswick 754,969	59,506	7,882	15,821	26.6%
	CANADA 30,491,294	2,613,348	8,571	684,887	Canadian average 26.2%
7^th	Quebec 7,345,390	485,101	6,604	119,602	24.7%
8^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	84,516	8,993	19,943	23.6%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,980	10,581	7,69	2,445	23.1%
10^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	507,031	12,603	95,582	18.9%

In British Columbia there were 411,449 reported Criminal incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	145,622	14,216	51,719	35.5%
2^nd	Alberta 2,914,918	288,052	9,882	90,842	31.5%
^rd	Newfoundland 544,400	34,679	6,370	10,521	30.3%
4^th	Manitoba 1,138,872	131,196	11,520	38,177	29.1%
5^th	New Brunswick 752,999	53,100	7,052	15,284	28.8%
6^th	Ontario 11,411,547	884,940	7,755	242,530	27.4%
	CANADA 30,300,422	2,701,691	8,916	692,217	Canadian average 25.6%
7^th	Prince Edward Island 136,388	9,578	7,023	2,333	24.4%
8^th	Nova Scotia 34,587	82,062	8,781	20,028	24.4%
9^th	Quebec 7,333,283	523,269	7,136	118,724	22.7%
10^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	525,988	13,117	96,217	18.3%

In British Columbia there were 429,771 reported Criminal incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) All Criminal Incidents

#	PROVINCE (population)	Incidents reported	CRIME RATE	CLEARED BY CHARGE	% of reported incidents cleared by charge
1^st	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	142,410	13,939	50,116	35.2%
2^nd	Alberta 2,841,300	284,662	10,019	89,690	31.5%
3^rd	Newfoundland 562,200	34,312	6,103	10,590	30.9%
4^th	New Brunswick 761,100	54,060	7,103	16,304	30.2%
5^th	Manitoba 1,142,200	135,966	11,904	37,334	27.5%
6^th	Ontario 11,421,600	919,470	8,050	244,276	26.6%
7^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	83,746	8,845	21,3223	25.5%
	CANADA 30,285,800	2,787,409	9,204	704,112	Canadian average 25.3%
8^th	Prince Edward Island 137,100	10,719	7,818	2,697	25.2%
9^th	Quebec 7,431,000	555,141	7,471	125,586	22.6%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	543,215	13,852	99,753	18.4%

In British Columbia there were 443,462 reported Criminal incidents without criminal charges.

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