Justice Committee on April 20th, 2010

[Serge Ménard, Bloc, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Could we get some statistics starting in 1960?

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

A very quick answer.

[Craig Grimes]

It's not possible to go back to 1960 for criminal court statistics. The earliest for adults is 1994-95, with 80% coverage.

[The Chair, Conservative, Ed Fast]

Thank you.

We'll go to Mr. Comartin for seven minutes.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for being here.

I'd like to pursue this point of the youth crime statistics going through the roof, as we heard from Mr. Martin. As I understand statistics gathering--I think I'm correct that he said it started in 1962--the accuracy of the statistics has improved gradually as police forces across the country have reported more efficiently, more effectively, and in keeping with the standards set by your office.

Is that a fair analysis?

[Mia Dauvergne]

The survey that we used to collect information from police services has changed over time. The information is reliable and accurate going back in time. What has changed is the detailed level of information that is available.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Okay. So with regard to youth crime--and we divide that into two--I don't know where the dividing line is between non-violent and violent, but let's say serious violent crime by youth and non-violent crime, again by youth, that trend. From the sixties to the period of time of 2010, has it gone through the roof by comparison between those two periods of time, if you can answer that?

[Mia Dauvergne]

It depends on how you're defining “serious violent crime”.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Let me start with murder.

[Mia Dauvergne]

If you look at particular offences, you can see ups and downs, depending on which offence you're looking at.

I could certainly provide the committee with information on all the different offences that we have data on, specifically for youth.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

On the kind of spike that you're showing on the page 5 graph, can you go back, historically, to the sixties? Have we had periods of time when we've had that kind of a spike, up and down?

[Mia Dauvergne]

For that information we could go back to 1991.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

That's as far back as you can go.

[Mia Dauvergne]

Because it's specific to gang-related homicides, and that information was standardized in 1991.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

I want to switch over to the organized crime charges, which I think is on page 6. On the first category you have there, proceeds of crime, was this just for 2008? Can you tell me or the committee--I think that legislation came into effect in 2006, 2007, so we're our third or fourth year in--what previous years were like?

[Mia Dauvergne]

I can tell you that in 2007 the numbers were fairly similar to what you see here. Prior to that, I'd have to go back and look at the data.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Okay. I'm sorry, we'll get the 2009 ones when?

[Mia Dauvergne]

In July.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

With regard to the other two, being part of a criminal organization, the next two categories, do you know what 2007 was like? Were they fairly similar?

[Mia Dauvergne]

Again, for all of the categories that you see here for 2008, the numbers are similar in 2007.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Okay.

[Mia Dauvergne]

We could certainly provide the specific numbers to the committee.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Again, you can't go back too far in the forfeiture side--

[Mia Dauvergne]

Yes.

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Could you give the committee those previous years and send them to the clerk?