Prime Time Crime

Page 15

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 BREAK AND ENTER (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 10^thplace among 10 provinces

5.5% charge rate

50,045 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (9.8%)

2002 10^thplace among 10 provinces

5.9% charge rate

47,384 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.1%)

2001 10^thplace among 10 provinces

6.2% charge rate

48,712 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.3%)

2000 10^thplace among 10 provinces

6.5% charge rate

48,495 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.3%)

1999 10^thplace among 10 provinces

6.5% charge rate

54,277 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.3%)

1998 10^thplace among 10 provinces

6.6% charge rate

61,156 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.2%)

1997 10^thplace among 10 provinces

6.1% charge rate

67,538 reported Break and Enters without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (9.8%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) BREAK AND ENTER

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	Newfoundland 519,570	3,824	736	666	17.4%
2^nd	Saskatchewan 994,843	17,279	1,737	2,309	13.4%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,162,776	14,122	1,215	1,891	13.4
4^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	1,033	750	134	12.8%
5^th	New Brunswick 750,594	5,337	711	673	12.6%
6^th	Alberta 3,153,723	30,692	973	3,611	11.8%
7^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	7,665	819	879	11.5%
8^th	Ontario 12,238,300	81,661	667	8,414	10.3%
	CANADA 31,629,677	284,496	899	27,956	Canadian Average 9.8%
9^th	Quebec 7,487,169	67,346	899	5,875	8.7%
10^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	52,949	1,277	2,904	* 5.5%

*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

Those responsible for 50,045 Break and Enters in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 531,595	3,460	651	538	15.5%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 139,913	966	690	143	14.8%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,150,848	12,616	1,096	1,829	14.5%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	15,055	1,488	2,180	14.5%
5^th	Alberta 3,113,586	27,214	874	3,369	12.4%
6^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	6,581	697	703	10.7%
7^th	Ontario 12,068,301	81,181	673	8,519	10.5%
8^th	New Brunswick 756,652	4,805	635	492	10.2%
	CANADA 31,629,677	274,894	875	27,706	Canadian average 10.1%
9^th	Quebec 7,455,208	70,370	944	6,404	9.1%
10^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	50,376	1,216	2,992	* 5.9%

Those responsible for 47,384 Break and Enters in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1st	Newfoundland 533,761	3,207	909	28,970	10.3%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 138,514	740	534	119	16.1%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,150,034	13,310	1,157	1,991	15.0%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	15,103	1,487	2,068	13.7%
5^th	Alberta 3,064,249	25,650	837	3,210	12.5%
6^th	New Brunswick 757,077	4,773	630	598	12.5%
7^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	6,595	700	809	12.3%
8^th	Ontario 11,874,436	85,230	718	9,458	11.1%
	CANADA 31,081,887	282,512	909	28,970	Canadian average 10.3%
9^th	Quebec 7,410,504	73,969	998	6,469	8.7%
10^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	51,933	1,268	3,221	* 6.2%

In British Columbia there were 48,712 reported Break and Enter incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Prince Edward Island 138,928	809	582	150	18.5%
2^nd	Newfoundland 538,823	3,519	653	614	17.4%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 1,023,636	15,815	1,545	2,536	16.0%
4^th	Alberta 2,997,236	26,781	894	3,550	13.3%
5^th	Manitoba 1,147,880	14,184	1,236	1,838	13.0%
6^th	New Brunswick 756,598	5,209	688	662	12.7%
7^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	7,673	815	947	12.3%
8^th	Ontario 11,669,344	85,408	732	9,269	10.9%
	CANADA 30,750,087	293,416	954	30,492	Canadian average 10.4%
9^th	Quebec 7,372,448	79,984	1,085	7,198	9.0%
10^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	51,839	1,276	3,344	* 6.5%

In British Columbia there were 48,495 reported Break and Enter incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 541,000	4,328	800	807	18.6%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 137,980	717	520	125	17.4%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	16,869	1,641	2,328	13.8%
4^th	New Brunswick 754,969	5,475	725	758	13.8%
5^th	Alberta 2,964,689	29,287	988	3,627	12.4%
6^th	Manitoba 1,143,509	15,209	1,330	1,830	12.0%
7^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	9,139	972	1,069	11.7%
8^th	Ontario 11,513,808	92,485	803	10,150	11.0%
	CANADA 30,491,294	318,448	1,044	32,815	Canadian average 10.3%
9^th	Quebec 7,345,390	84,972	1,157	7,924	9.3%
10^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	58,026	1,442	3,749	* 6.5%

In British Columbia there were 54,277 reported Break and Enter incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 544,400	4,479	823	863	19.3%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 136,388	700	513	121	17.3%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	17,813	1,739	2,547	14.3%
4^th	Manitoba 1,138,872	16,023	1,407	2,165	13.5%
5^th	Alberta 2,914,918	29,861	1,024	3,865	12.9%
6^th	New Brunswick 752,999	5,574	740	678	12.2%
7^th	Nova Scotia 934,587	9,118	976	1,081	11.9%
	CANADA 30,300,422	350,176	1,156	35,577	Canadian average 10.2%
8^th	Ontario 11,411,547	101,126	886	9,976	9.9%
9^th	Quebec 7,333,283	97,774	1,333	9,515	9.7%
10^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	65,457	1,632	4,301	* 6.6%

In British Columbia there were 61,156 reported Break and Enter incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) BREAK AND ENTER

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 562,000	3,867	688	633	17.1%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 137,100	895	653	153	17.1%
3^rd	New Brunswick 761,100	6,108	803	901	14.8%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	18,791	1,839	2,641	14.1%
5^th	Alberta 2,841,300	31,144	1,096	3,998	12.8%
6^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	9,193	971	1,149	12.5%
7^th	Manitoba 1,142,200	16,837	1,474	1,828	10.9%
8^th	Quebec 7,431,000	104,092	1,401	10,403	10.0%
	CANADA 30,285,800	373,355	1,233	36,496	Canadian average 9.8%
9^th	Ontario 11,421,600	108,066	946	9,845	9.1%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	71,942	1,835	4,404	* 6.1%

In British Columbia there were 67,538 reported Break and Enter incidents without criminal charges.

Prime Time Crime current headlines

The Best Place on Earth Page 16