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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 VIOLENT CRIME (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 8^th place among 10 provinces

37.6% charge rate

31,206 reported Violent crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (47.8%)

2002 8^th place among 10 provinces

40.5% charge rate

29,551 reported Violent crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (49.3%)

2001 8^th place among 10 provinces

41.1% charge rate

29,369 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (49.5%)

2000 7^th place among 10 provinces

41.9% charge rate

29,223 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (48.8%)

1999 8^th place among 10 provinces

41.9% charge rate

30,010 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (48.0%)

1998 9^th place among 10 provinces

40.2% charge rate

32,212 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (47.0%)

1997 10th place among 10 provinces

41.1% charge rate

32,590 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (47.3%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) VIOLENT CRIME

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	Ontario 12,238,300	95,948	784	52,340	54.5%
2^nd	Manitoba 1,162,776	18,906	1,626	10,154	53.7%
3^rd	Quebec 7,487,169	53,373	713	27,096	50.7%
	CANADA 31,629,677	304,515	963	145,253	Canadian Average 47.8%
4^th	Alberta 3,153,723	34,696	1,100	15,506	44.6%
5^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	11,220	1,199	4,888	43.5%
6^th	Newfoundland 519,570	4,845	933	2,098	43.3%
7^th	Saskatchewan 994,843	20,466	2,057	8,833	43.1%
8^t^h	British Columbia 4,146,580	50,025	1,206	18,819	* 37.6%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	1,236	897	431	34.8%
10^th	New Brunswick 750,594	7,442	991	2,573	34.5%

*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 62.4% of reported Violent Crime in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Those responsible for 31,206 reported Violent Crimes were never criminally charged

If British Columbia matched the National charge average of 47.8% then those responsible for 5,102 more Violent Incidents would be criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,150,848	18,925	1,644	10,501	55.5%
2^nd	Ontario 12,068,301	99,990	829	55,539	55.5%
3^rd	Quebec 7,455,208	53,625	719	27,573	51.4%
	CANADA 31,629,677	303,294	965	149,524	Canadian average 49.3%
4^th	Alberta 3,113,586	33,539	1,077	15,607	46.5%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	18,331	1,812	8,421	45.9%
6^th	Newfoundland 531,595	4,751	894	2,114	44.5%
7^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	10,380	1,099	4,362	42%
8^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	49,641	1,199	20,090	40.5%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 139,913	1,210	865	451	37.2%
10^th	New Brunswick 756,652	7,373	974	2,643	35.8%

In 2002, those responsible for 59.5% of reported Violent Crime were never criminally charged.

Those responsible for 29,551 reported Violent Crimes were never criminally charged

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,150,034	18,626	1,620	10,486	56.3%
2^nd	Ontario 11,874,436	107,211	903	58,057	54.2%
3^rd	Quebec 7,410,504	53,309	719	28,077	52.7%
	CANADA 31,081,887	309,101	994	152,902	Canadian average 49.5%
4^th	Alberta 3,064,249	33,672	1,099	15,883	47.2%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	18,307	1,802	8,540	46.6%
6^th	Newfoundland 533,761	4,762	892	2,189	46.0%
7^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	9,865	1,046	4,056	41.1%
8^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	49,851	1,217	20,482	41.1% *
9^th	New Brunswick 757,077	7,482	988	2,795	37.4%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 138,514	1,033	746	382	37.0%

In 2001, those responsible for 58.9% of reported Violent Crime in British Columbia (29,369 incidents) were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,147,880	18,805	1,638	10,554	56.1%
2^nd	Ontario 11,669,344	103,540	887	55,229	53.3%
3^rd	` Saskatchewan 1,023,636	17,025	1,663	8,405	49.4%
	CANADA 30,750,087	301,875	982	147,327	Canadian average 48.8%
4^th	Newfoundland 538,823	4,849	900	2,349	48.4%
5^th	Alberta 2,997,236	31,830	1,062	15,382	48.3%
6^th	Quebec 7,372,448	52,911	718	25,071	47.4%
7^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	50,819	1,251	21,296	41.9%
8^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	9,319	990	3,809	40.9%
9^th	New Brunswick 756,598	7,089	937	2,801	39.5%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 138,928	999	719	346	34.6%

In British Columbia there were 29,223 reported Violent Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,143,509	17,978	1,572	9,620	53.5%
2^nd	Ontario 11,513,808	98,118	852	50,315	51.3%
3^rd	Quebec 7,345,390	48,934	666	24,398	49.9%
	CANADA 30,491,294	291,330	955	139,789	Canadian average 48.0%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	16,334	1,589	7,808	47.8%
5^th	Alberta 2,964,689	31,462	1,061	14,724	46.8%
6^th	Newfoundland 541,000	5,004	925	2,274	45.4%
7^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	9,269	986	4,061	43.8%
8^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	51,637	1,284	21,627	41.9%
9^th	New Brunswick 754,969	7,218	956	2,712	37.6%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 137,980	945	685	327	34.6%

In British Columbia there were 30,010 reported Violent crimes without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,138,872	18,295	1,606	9,852	53.9%
2^nd	Alberta 2,914,918	31,605	1,084	15,693	49.7%
3^rd	Quebec 7,333,283	47,146	643	23,291	49.4%
4^th	Ontario 11,411,547	101,959	893	49,597	48.6%
	CANADA 30,300,422	295,369	975	138,713	Canadian average 47.0%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	16,265	1,588	7,614	46.8%
6^th	Nova Scotia 934,587	9,155	980	3,915	42.8%
7^th	Newfoundland 544,400	4,864	893	2,015	41.4%
8^th	Prince Edward Island 136,388	994	729	401	40.3%
9^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	53,901	1,344	21,689	40.2%
10^th	New Brunswick 752,999	6,632	881	2,582	38.9%

In British Columbia there were 32,212 reported Violent crimes without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) VIOLENT CRIME

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Alberta 2,841,300	30,432	1,071	15,400	50.6%
2^nd	Manitoba 1,142,200	19,571	1,713	9,828	50.2%
3^rd	Ontario 11,421,600	101,910	892	50,306	49.4%
4^th	Quebec 7,431,000	45,964	619	22,489	48.9%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	15,751	1,542	7,496	47.6%
	CANADA 30,285,800	296,737	980	140,420	Canadian average 47.3%
6^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	10,153	1,072	4,650	45.8%
7^th	Prince Edward Island 137,100	996	726	428	43.0%
8^th	Newfoundland 562,200	5,370	955	2,240	41.7%
9^th	New Brunswick 761,100	6,529	858	2,687	41.2%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	55,298	1,410	22,708	41.1%

In British Columbia there were 32,590 reported Violent crimes without criminal charges

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