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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 COMMON ASSAULT (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 8^thplace among 10 provinces

34.7% charge rate

21,843 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (44.6%)

2002 7^thplace among 10 provinces

37.8% charge rate

20,611 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (46.7%)

2001 7^th place among 10 provinces

39.3% charge rate

20,309 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (46.9%)

2000 7^th place among 10 provinces

39.9% charge rate

20,465 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (45.8%)

1999 7^th place among 10 provinces

39.7% charge rate

20,472 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (45.2%)

1998 8^th place among 10 provinces

37.6% charge rate

21,973 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (44.4%)

1997 7^th place among 10 provinces

38.9% charge rate

21,877 reported Assaults without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (45.3%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) COMMON ASSAULT

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	Quebec 7,487,169	28,809	385	15,178	52.7%
2^nd	Ontario 12,238,300	57,442	469	30,298	52.7%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,162,776	11,223	965	5,782	51.5%
	CANADA 31,629,677	188,457	596	83,972	Canadian average 44.6%
4^th	Alberta 3,153,723	22,030	699	8,680	39.4%
5^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	8,119	867	3,176	39.1%
6^th	Newfoundland 519,570	3,513	676	1,294	36.8%
7^th	Saskatchewan 994,843	12,.960	1,303	4,688	36.2%
8^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	33,440	806	11,597	34.7%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	923	670	277	30.0%
10^th	New Brunswick 750,594	5,251	700	1,483	28.2%

*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

Those responsible for 21,843 Assaults in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,150,848	11,371	988	6,128	53.9%
2^nd	Ontario 12,068,301	61,353	508	33,005	53.8%
3^rd	Quebec 7,455,208	29,208	392	15,607	53.4%
	CANADA 31,629,677	189,158	602	88,277	Canadian average 46.7%
4^th	Alberta 3,113,586	21,613	694	8.985	41.6%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	11,379	1,125	4,651	40.9%
6^th	Newfoundland 531,595	3,355	631	1,299	38.7%
7^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	33,164	801	12,553	37.8%
8^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	7,528	797	2,825	32.9%
9^th	Prince Edward Island 139,913	906	648	298	32.9%
10^th	New Brunswick 756,652	5,210	689	1,567	30%

Those responsible for 20,611 Assaults in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Quebec 7,410,504	28,958	391	15,998	55.2%
2^nd	Manitoba 1,150,034	11,197	974	6,135	54.8%
3^rd	Ontario 11,874,436	66,895	563	34,436	51.5%
	CANADA 31,081,887	193,495	623	90,744	Canadian average 46.9%
4^th	Alberta 3,064,249	21,658	707	9,148	42.2%
5^th	Newfoundland 533,761	3,320	6222	1,331	40.1%
6^th	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	11,310	1,113	4,753	42.0%
7^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	33,467	817	13,158	39.3% *
8^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	7,041	747	2,634	37.4%
9^th	New Brunswick 757,077	5,131	678	1,682	32.8%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 138,514	789	570	253	32.1%

In British Columbia there were 20,309 reported Assault incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,147,880	11,448	997	6,233	54.4%
2^nd	Ontario 11,669,344	64,892	556	32,453	50.0%
3^rd	Quebec 7,372,448	29,361	398	14,039	47.8%
	CANADA 30,750,087	190,350	619	87,245	Canadian average 45.8%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,023,636	10,619	1,037	4,774	45.0%
5^th	Newfoundland 538,823	3,494	648	1,475	42.2%
6^th	Alberta 2,997,236	20,669	690	9,007	43.6%
7^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	34,033	837	13,568	39.9%
8^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	6,720	714	2,502	37.2%
9^th	New Brunswick 756,598	4,957	655	1,646	33.2%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 138,928	750	540	221	29.5%

In British Columbia there were 20,465 reported Assault incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Prince Edward Island 137,980	105	76	57	54.3%
2^nd	Manitoba 1,143,509	10,623	929	5,619	52.9%
3^rd	Quebec 7,345,390	25,779	351	13,392	51.9%
4^th	Ontario 11,513,808	61,431	534	29,501	48.0%
	CANADA 30,491,294	181,326	595	81,927	Canadian average 45.2%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	10,204	993	4,460	43.7%
6^th	Alberta 2,964,689	20,236	683	8,415	41.6%
7^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	33,946	844	13,474	39.7% *
8^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	6,615	704	2,618	39.6%
9^th	Newfoundland 541,000	3,548	656	1,355	38.2%
10^th	New Brunswick 754,969	5,013	664	1,652	33.0%

In British Columbia there were 20,472 reported Assault incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Manitoba 1,138,872	10,839	952	5,679	52.4%
2^nd	Quebec 7,333,283	25,003	341	12,926	51.7%
3^rd	Ontario 11,411,547	64,162	562	29,358	45.8%
4^th	Alberta 2,914,918	19,998	686	9,119	45.6%
	CANADA 30,300,422	183,440	605	81,503	Canadian average 44.4%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	9,904	967	4,280	43.2%
6^th	Nova Scotia 934,587	6,502	696	2,499	38.4%
7^th	Newfoundland 544,400	3,425	629	1,293	37.8%
8^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	35,228	879	13,255	37.6%
9^th	New Brunswick 752,999	4,480	595	1,572	35.1%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 136,388	690	506	226	32.8%

In British Columbia there were 21,973 reported Assault incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) COMMON ASSAULT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Quebec 7,431,000	24,317	327	12,569	51.7%
2^nd	Manitoba 1,142,200	11,915	1,043	5,786	48.6%
3^rd	Ontario 11,421,600	63,515	556	30,141	47.5%
4^th	Alberta 2,841,300	19,184	675	9,084	47.4%
	CANADA 30,285,800	182,946	604	82,942	Canadian average 45.3%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	9,233	904	4,000	43.3%
6^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	7,163	757	2,957	41.3%
7^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	35,806	913	13,929	38.9% *
8^th	New Brunswick 761,100	4,306	566	1,654	38.4%
9^th	Newfoundland 562,000	3,634	646	1,304	35.9%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 137,100	698	509	245	35.1%

In British Columbia there were 21,877 reported Assault incidents without criminal charges.

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