It probably is. There's always a kernel of truth in anything that man said.
As a practical matter, when you are dealing as a defence lawyer in what I call the micro as opposed to the macro view of legislation--in other words, when I'm acting at a bail hearing for an individual--I'm looking at what is the law, how does it affect that individual, and what is the outcome? Rarely, and really only in forums such as this and in other legislative initiatives, do members of the Criminal Lawyers' Association sitting on the committee get a chance to debate what I call the macro.
So as a general rule, we don't use statistics in our arguments in court, because a judge will say, “What do I care if 1,000 people were released? I'm looking at this individual; this is his background, these are my concerns, and statistics won't help you with that.”
With respect to gathering statistics, that's a much larger question, because there's a clear cost-benefit analysis that has to go on for anybody collecting that sort of statistic. There were various local initiatives in statistics gathering in Toronto. We didn't find them terribly helpful, because you really have to look at the gatherer.
Statistics—and I think this is the reason Mark Twain was so circumspect—really depend on who's asking the question and gathering the information. They can be skewed, even subconsciously, by the types of questions you ask and the information you're looking for.
So this is the long way around to say that statistics are not necessarily helpful, leaving aside such things as the homicide rate, which tells us that this country is not, contrary to the headlines above the fold across Canada from time to time, going to hell in a handbasket. We don't have crime rampant in the streets. We have some problems here and there, and we've probably had them since I was a child--I would probably remember headlines--but I don't think the headlines drive the issue. That's why I think perhaps that one statistic is of some value in terms of keeping us centred.
I hope that answers the question.