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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 THEFT UNDER $5,000 (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 9^th place among 10 provinces

7.3% charge rate

157,473 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (9.6%)

2002 9^th place among 10 provinces

8.2% charge rate

148,748 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (10.6%)

2001 9^th place among 10 provinces

8.7% charge rate

145,262 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (11.0%)

2000 8^th place among 10 provinces

9.2% charge rate

143,934 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (11.2%)

1999 9^th place among 10 provinces

10.0% charge rate

147,481 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (11.7%)

1998 10^th place among 10 provinces

9.9% charge rate

153,926 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (11.9%)

1997 10^th place among 10 provinces

10.2% charge rate

161,054 reported Theft under $5,000 without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (12.4%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) THEFT UNDER $5,000

(Includes: Bicycles, From motor vehicles, Shoplifting, Other)

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	7,558	1,455	1,222	16.2%
2^nd	New Brunswick 750,594	12,296	1,638	1,665	13.5%
3^rd	Alberta 3,153,723	88,904	2,819	10,149	11.4%
4^th	Saskatchewan 994,843	33,701	3,388	3,781	11.2%
5^th	Quebec 7,487,169	113,573	1,517	12,577	11.1%
	CANADA 31,629,677	702,317	2,220	67,665	Canadian Average 9.6%
6^th	Manitoba 1,162,776	33,984	2,923	3,231	9.5%
7^th	Ontario 12,238,300	216,910	1,772	20,616	9.5%
8^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	18,993	2,029	1,440	7.6%
9^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	169,879	4,097	12,406	7.3% *
10^th	Prince Edward Island 137,781	3,103	2,252	224	7.2%

*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 157,473 Thefts (under $5,000) in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 531,595	7,408	1,394	1,137	15.3%
2^nd	New Brunswick 756,652	11,782	1,557	1,641	13.9%
3^rd	Alberta 3,113,586	80,705	2,592	10,329	12.8%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	28,921	2,858	3,666	12.7%
5^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	19,233	2,036	2,382	12.4%
6^th	Manitoba 1,150,848	28,592	2,484	3,386	11.8%
7^th	Ontario 12,068,301	211,932	1,756	22,761	10.7%
8^th	Quebec 7,455,208	113,366	1,521	12,040	10.6%
	CANADA 31,629,677	668,589	2,128	71,151	Canadian average 10.6%
9^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	161,036	3,889	12,288	8.25%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 139,913	2,724	1,947	224	8.22%

Those responsible for 148,748 Thefts (under $5,000) in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1st	Newfoundland 533,761	6,736	1,262	1,200	17.8%
2^nd	New Brunswick 757,077	11,479	1,516	1,683	14.7%
3^rd	Manitoba 1,150,034	28,291	2,460	3,617	12.8%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	29,613	2,915	3,735	12.6%
5^th	Alberta 3,064,249	74,243	2,423	9,321	12.6%
6^th	Quebec 7,410,504	116,665	1,574	13,398	11.5%
7^th	Ontario 11,874,436	216,540	1,824	24,698	11.4%
	CANADA 31,081,887	665,961	2,143	73,316	Canadian average 11.0%
8^th	Prince Edward Island 138,514	2,573	1,858	230	8.9%
9^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	159,119	3,885	13,857	8.7% *
10^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	18,236	1,934	1,311	7.2%

In British Columbia there were 145,262 reported Theft under $5,000 incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 538,823	7,214	1,339	1,228	17.0%
2^nd	New Brunswick 756,598	11,595	1,533	1,886	16.3%
3^rd	Alberta 2,997,236	73,810	2,463	9,688	13.1%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,023,636	29,680	2,899	3,743	12.6%
5^th	Manitoba 1,147,880	27,135	2,364	3,389	12.5%
6^th	Quebec 7,372,448	120,085	1,629	14,086	11.7%
	CANADA 30,750,087	662,616	2,155	74,268	Canadian average 11.2%
7^th	Ontario 11,669,344	210,688	1,805	23,610	11.2%
8^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	158,548	3,902	14,614	9.2%
9^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	18,391	1,954	1,505	8.2%
10^th	Prince Edward Island 138,928	2,589	1,864	207	8.0%

In British Columbia there were 143,934 reported Theft under $5,000 incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 541,000	7,622	1,409	1,457	19.1%
2^nd	New Brunswick 754,969	11,154	1,477	1,605	14.4%
3^rd	Nova Scotia 939,791	21,611	2,300	3,016	14.0%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	27,361	2,662	3,737	12.8%
5^th	Alberta 2,964,689	77,410	2,611	10,094	13.0%
6^th	Manitoba 1,143,509	27,847	2,435	3,575	13.7%
7^th	Quebec 7,345,390	118,355	1,611	14,563	12.3%
	CANADA 30,491,294	679,095	2,227	79,390	Canadian average 11.7%
8^th	Ontario 11,513,808	218,774	1,900	24,467	11.2%
9^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	163,832	4,072	16,351	10.0% *
10^th	Prince Edward Island 137,980	2,577	1,868	220	8.5%

In British Columbia there were 147,481 reported Theft under $5,000 incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 544,400	7,338	1,348	1,478	20.1%
2^nd	New Brunswick 752,999	9,996	1,327	1,676	16.8%
3^rd	Nova Scotia 934,587	21,788	2,331	3,158	14.5%
4^th	Manitoba 1,138,872	26,567	2,333	3,762	14.2%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	29,134	2,844	3,957	13.6%
6^th	Alberta 2,914,918	77,759	2,668	10,578	13.6%
7^th	Quebec 7,333,283	127,798	1,743	16,233	12.7%
	CANADA 30,300,422	712,764	2,352	85,001	Canadian average 11.9%
8^th	Prince Edward Island 136,388	2,255	1,653	266	11.8%
9^th	Ontario 11,411,547	236,353	2,017	26,605	11.3%
10^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	170,916	4,262	16,990	9.9%

In British Columbia there were 153,926 reported Theft under $5,000 incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) THEFT UNDER $5,000

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	New Brunswick 761,100	11,204	1,472	2,211	19.7%
2^nd	Newfoundland 562,000	7,964	1,417	1,561	19.6%
3^rd	Nova Scotia 946,800	21,205	2,229	3,449	16.3%
4^th	Alberta 2,841,300	78,218	2,753	12,102	15.5%
5^th	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	29,314	2,869	4,353	14.8%
6^th	Manitoba 1,142,200	28,111	2,461	4,077	14.5%
7^th	Quebec 7,431,000	137,935	1,856	17,871	13.0%
	CANADA 30,285,800	758,025	2,503	93,632	Canadian average 12.4%
8^th	Prince Edward Island 137,100	2,530	1,845	295	11.7%
9^th	Ontario 11,421,600	259,309	2,270	29,047	11.2%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	179,368	4,574	18,314	10.2% *

In British Columbia there were 161,054 reported Theft under $5,000 incidents without criminal charges.

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