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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 OTHER CRIMES (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 10th place among 10 provinces

12.4% charge rate

154,224 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (22.9%)

2002 10th place among 10 provinces

13.9% charge rate

137,840 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.1%)

2001 10th place among 10 provinces

14.8% charge rate

131,305 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (27.3%)

2000 10th place among 10 provinces

15.8% charge rate

124,701 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (27.2%)

1999 9^th place among 10 provinces

17.5% charge rate

117,546 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (27.1%)

1998 10th place among 10 provinces

16.0% charge rate

121,932 reported Other crimes without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.4%)

1997 10th place among 10 provinces

15.7% charge rate

119,644 reported criminal incidents without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (26.1%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) OTHER CRIMES

(Includes: Prostitution, Gaming and Betting, Offensive Weapons, Arson, Bail Violations, Counterfeit Currency, Disturbing the peace, Escape Custody, Indecent Acts, Kidnapping, Public morals, Obstruct peace officer, Prisoner unlawfully at large, Trespass at night, Mischief, Other Criminal Offences.)

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	66,711	6,706	23,374	35.0%
2^nd	Ontario 12,238,300	253,612	2,072	75,450	29.8%
3^rd	Alberta 3,153,723	127,772	4,051	32,990	25.8%
4^th	Manitoba 1,162,776	61,245	5,267	15,727	25.7%
	CANADA 31,629,677	964,159	3,048	221,048	Canadian average 22.9%
5^th	Newfoundland 519,570	13,861	2,668	2,709	19.5%
6^th	Quebec 7,487,169	181,558	2,425	35,444	19.5%
7^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	34,623	3,699	6,627	19.1%
8^th	New Brunswick 750,594	23,211	3,092	3,973	17.1%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	5,683	4,125	610	10.7%
10^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	175,962	4,244	21,738	12.4% *

*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 British Columbia there were 154,224 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	59,484	5,879	22,057	37.1%
2^nd	Ontario 12,068,301	242,993	2,103	77,285	31.8%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,150,848	53,733	4,669	15,743	29.3%
4^th	Alberta 3,113,586	111,159	3,570	32,139	28.9%
5^th	Quebec 7,455,208	122,211	1,639	34,033	27.8%
	CANADA 31,629,677	837,008	2,664	218,832	Canadian average 26.1%
6^th	Newfoundland 531,595	13,377	2,516	2,819	21.1%
7^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	30,125	3,189	5,688	18.9%
8^th	New Brunswick 756,652	21,348	2,821	3,994	18.7%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 139,913	4,980	3,559	561	11.3%
10^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	160,007	3,864	22,167	13.9% *

In British Columbia there were 137,840 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	58,844	5,793	22,590	38.4%
2^nd	Ontario 11,874,436	262,000	2,206	88,912	33.9%
3^rd	Alberta 3,064,249	108,659	3,546	30,969	28.5%
4^th	Manitoba 1,150,034	53,004	4,609	15,061	28.4%
5^th	Quebec 7,410,504	121,477	1,639	33,973	28.0%
	CANADA 31,081,887	841,191	2,706	229,396	Canadian average 27.3%
6^th	Newfoundland 533,761	13,127	2,459	3,030	23.1%
7^th	New Brunswick 757,077	20,168	2,664	4,176	20.7%
8^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	29,609	3,141	5,251	17.7%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 138,514	4,262	3,077	568	13.3%
10^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	154,070	3,762	22,765	14.8%

In British Columbia there were 131,305 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	` Saskatchewan 1,023,636	53,193	5,196	20,831	39.2%
2^nd	Ontario 11,669,344	250,907	2,150	83,457	33.3%
3^rd	Alberta 2,997,236	99,146	3,308	30,499	30.8%
4^th	Manitoba 1,147,880	47,271	4,118	13,382	28.3%
	CANADA 30,750,087	800,384	2,603	217,829	Canadian 27.2%
5^th	Newfoundland 538,823	12,932	2,400	2,959	22.9%
6^th	New Brunswick 756,598	20,471	2,706	4,508	22.0%
7^th	Quebec 7,372,448	122,307	1,659	30,711	25.1%
8^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	28,272	3,004	5,406	19.1%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 138,928	4,161	2,995	768	18.5%
10^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	148,073	3,644	23,372	15.8%

In British Columbia there were 124,701 reported Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	49,452	4,812	20,951	42.4%
2^nd	Ontario 11,513,808	239,697	2,082	76,365	31.9%
3^rd	Alberta 2,964,689	95,076	3,207	28,986	30.5%
	CANADA 30,491,294	765,791	2,512	207,535	Canadian average 27.1%
4^th	Quebec 7,345,390	113,535	1,546	29,146	25.7%
5^th	Manitoba 1,143,509	44,801	3,918	11,247	25.1%
6^th	Newfoundland 541,000	12,395	2,291	2,920	23.6%
7^th	New Brunswick 754,969	22,121	2,930	4,689	21.2%
8^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	31,093	3,309	5,855	18.8%
9^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	142,457	3,541	24,911	17.5%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 137,980	4,399	3,188	749	17.0%

In British Columbia there were 117,546 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	48,504	4,735	19,767	40.8%
2^nd	Alberta 2,914,918	88,528	3,037	29,146	32.9%
3^rd	Ontario 11,411,547	258,252	2,263	78,895	30.5%
4^th	Manitoba 1,138,872	43,828	3,848	11,857	27.1%
	CANADA 30,300,422	783,631	2,586	206,552	Canadian average 26.4%
5^th	New Brunswick 752,999	18,845	2,503	4,667	24.8%
6^th	Newfoundland 544,400	12,218	2,244	3,024	24.8%
7^th	Quebec 7,333,283	125,095	1,706	27,809	22.2%
8^th	Nova Scotia 934,587	28,956	3,098	5,748	19.9%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 136,388	3,820	2,801	633	16.6%
10^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	145,144	3,620	23,212	16.0%

In British Columbia there were 121,932 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) OTHER CRIMES

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	44,571	4,362	17,769	39.9%
2^nd	Alberta 2,841,300	85,871	3,022	26,685	31.2%
3^rd	Ontario 11,421,600	257,114	2,251	77,299	30.1%
4^th	Newfoundland 562,200	11,572	2,058	3,186	27.5%
5^th	New Brunswick 761,100	17,723	2,329	4,803	27.1%
	CANADA 30,285,800	774,687	2,558	201,912	Canadian average 26.1%
6^th	Manitoba 1,142,200	43,333	3,794	11,097	25.65
7^th	Quebec 7,431,000	128,507	1,729	30,368	23.6%
8^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	30,013	3,170	6,001	20.0%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,100	3,967	2,894	3,186	16.6%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	141,923	3,619	22,279	15.7%

In British Columbia there were 119,644 Other Crime incidents without criminal charges.

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