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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 MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT (1997-2003) British Columbia

Source: Statistics Canada – Catalogue no. 85-205

2003 10^th place among 10 provinces

2.7% charge rate

38,637 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.1%)

2002 10^th place among 10 provinces

3.4% charge rate

34,637 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.6%)

2001 10^th place among 10 provinces

3.8% charge rate

31,976 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.7%)

2000 10^th place among 10 provinces

4.0% charge rate

28,100 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.9%)

1999 10^th place among 10 provinces

4.3% charge rate

28,455 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.7%)

1998 10^th place among 10 provinces

4.8% charge rate

27,917 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (8.1%)

1997 10^th place among 10 provinces

5.1% charge rate

30,993 reported Motor Vehicle thefts without criminal charges

BELOW Canadian average (7.9%)

Solving Crime in Canada (2003) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

(Includes Automobiles, Trucks, Motorcycles, 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	656	126	117	17.8%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 137,781	273	198	47	17.2%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 994,843	7,763	780	1,115	14.4%
4^th	New Brunswick 750,594	1,761	236	218	12.4%
5^th	Manitoba 1,162,776	12,913	1,111	1,411	10.9%
6^th	Nova Scotia 936,025	2,709	289	266	9.8%
7^th	Alberta 3,153,723	20,868	662	1,934	9.3%
8^th	Quebec 7,487,169	36,981	494	2,650	7.2%
	CANADA 31,629,677	171,017	541	12,169	Canadian Average 7.1%
9^th	Ontario 12,238,300	46,549	380	3,190	6.9%
10^th	British Columbia 4,146,580	39,729	958	1,092	* 2.7%

*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 38,637 motor vehicle thefts in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2002) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 531,595	599	113	150	25%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 139,913	244	174	37	15.2%
3^rd	New Brunswick 756,652	1,576	208	237	15.0%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,011,808	6,904	682	1,000	14.5%
5^th	Manitoba 1,150,848	12,121	1,053	1,376	11.4%
6^th	Nova Scotia 944,765	2,639	279	279	10.6%
7^th	Alberta 3,113,586	17,948	576	1,847	10.3%
8^th	Ontario 12,068,301	45,835	380	3,539	7.7%
	CANADA 31,629,677	161,506	514	12,341	Canadian average 7.6%
9^th	Quebec 7,455,208	36,904	495	2,517	6.8%
10^th	British Columbia 4,141,272	35,980	869	1,219	3.4%

Those responsible for 34,761 Motor Vehicle Thefts in British Columbia were never criminally charged.

Solving Crime in Canada (2001) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1st	Newfoundland 533,761	634	119	143	27.6%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 138,514	272	196	48	17.6%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 1,015,783	7,986	786	1,181	14.8%
4^th	New Brunswick 757,077	1,765	233	222	12.6%
5^th	Alberta 3,064,249	17,467	570	1,878	10.8%
6^th	Nova Scotia 942,691	2,755	292	280	10.2%
7^th	Manitoba 1,150,034	13,206	1,148	1,262	9.6%
8^th	Ontario 11,874,436	50,067	422	4,001	8.0%
	CANADA 31,081,887	170,213	548	13,118	Canadian average 7.7%
9^th	Quebec 7,410,504	42,054	567	2,727	6.5%
10^th	British Columbia 4,095,934	33,242	812	1,266	3.8% *

In British Columbia there were 31,976 reported Motor Vehicle Theft incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (2000) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Prince Edward Island 138,928	218	157	56	25.7%
2^nd	Newfoundland 538,823	642	119	116	18.1%
3^rd	New Brunswick 756,598	1,556	206	222	14.3%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,023,636	7,635	746	1,071	14.0%
5^th	Alberta 2,997,236	14,893	497	1,689	11.3%
6^th	Nova Scotia 940,996	2,864	304	314	11.0%
7^th	Manitoba 1,147,880	11,797	1,028	1,141	9.7%
	CANADA 30,750,087	160,268	521	12,604	Canadian average 7.9%
8^th	Ontario 11,669,344	48,284	414	3,809	7.9%
9^th	Quebec 7,372,448	42,458	576	2,911	6.9%
10^th	British Columbia 4,063,760	29,266	720	1,166	4.0%

In British Columbia there were 28,100 reported Motor Vehicle Theft incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1999) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Prince Edward Island 137,980	191	138	44	23.0%
2^nd	Newfoundland 541,000	618	114	126	20.4%
3^rd	Saskatchewan 1,027,780	7,078	689	1,039	14.7%
4^th	New Brunswick 754,969	1,631	216	208	12.8%
5^th	Alberta 2,964,689	14,847	501	1,613	10.9%
6^th	Manitoba 1,143,509	10,723	938	1,117	10.4%
7^th	Nova Scotia 939,791	2,831	301	281	9.9%
	CANADA 30,491,294	161,405	529	12,457	Canadian average 7.7%
8^th	Quebec 7,345,390	43,068	586	3,138	7.3%
9^th	Ontario 11,513,808	50,065	435	3,514	7.0%
10^th	British Columbia 4,023,100	29,731	739	1,276	4.3% *

In British Columbia there were 28,455 reported Motor Vehicle Theft incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1998) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 544,400	644	118	130	20.2%
2^nd	Prince Edward Island 136,388	181	133	34	18.8%
3^rd	New Brunswick 752,999	1,299	173	219	16.8%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,024,387	7,263	709	1,019	14.0%
5^th	Manitoba 1,138,872	10,539	925	1,327	12.6%
6^th	Nova Scotia 934,587	2,816	301	325	11.5%
7^th	Alberta 2,914,918	15,519	532	1,790	11.5%
	CANADA 30,300,422	165,799	547	13,388	Canadian average 8.1%
8^th	Ontario 11,411,547	50,372	441	3,704	7.4%
9^th	Quebec 7,333,283	47,244	644	3,321	7.0%
10^th	British Columbia 4,009,922	29,318	731	1,401	4.8%

In British Columbia there were 27,917 reported Motor Vehicle Theft incidents without criminal charges.

Solving Crime in Canada (1997) MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT

PROVINCE

(population)

Incidents reported

CRIME

RATE

CLEARED

BY CHARGE

% of reported incidents

cleared by charge

1^st	Newfoundland 562,000	506	90	120	23.7%
2^nd	New Brunswick 761,100	1,526	200	283	18.5%
3^rd	Prince Edward Island 137,100	265	193	46	17.4%
4^th	Saskatchewan 1,021,700	6,999	685	926	13.2%
5^th	Nova Scotia 946,800	2,558	270	332	13.0%
6^th	Alberta 2,841,300	15,508	546	1,834	11.8%
7^th	Manitoba 1,142,200	11,297	989	1,035	9.2%
	CANADA 30,285,800	177,286	585	13,994	Canadian average 7.9%
8^th	Quebec 7,431,000	49,426	665	3,780	7.6%
9^th	Ontario 11,421,600	55,937	490	3,849	6.9%
10^th	British Columbia 3,921,500	32,659	833	1,666	5.1% *

In British Columbia there were 30,993 reported Motor Vehicle Theft incidents without criminal charges.

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