Evidence of meeting #21 for Justice and Human Rights in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was public.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Absolutely.
Bloc
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
You don't have that here.
I am back to a basic question that we are wondering about. I appreciate that you have given us all these statistics. However, the statistics on crimes against young people do not really help us to deal with youth crimes.
I looked at statistics on crime rates—I think that there were starting in the 1970s—and I saw a few things. The Province of Quebec has a very specific way of dealing with young offenders. We have noted that before 1985, Quebec had a higher crime rate than the Canadian average. But since 1985, there has been a distinct difference and this lowering trend continues. If my memory serves me well, the youth crime rate in Quebec has decreased by 57%.
Why don't I see that reflected in the statistics? Where should that be?
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
We have that information and could certainly provide it to the committee. I do have the 2008 information in front of me for youth accused by province. I could read it into the transcript if you'd like, or we could provide the information back to you.
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Certainly.
Conservative
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Thank you. It's five minutes tops, so I'll jump into it.
On deck 8, I looked at this and drew a line at 2003, when the YCJA came into effect. So if I look at deck 8 and have my line here, this is telling me, then—I just want to confirm—that incarceration rates of youth are going down post-YCJA. Is that correct? Is that what I'm reading?
Craig Grimes Chief/Advisor, Courts Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
That is correct.
Chief/Advisor, Courts Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
One of the additional caveats I can add is that the dates in here represent completed cases. At the time of the implementation of the YCJA, there would have been cases in the system that were still pending when the YCJA was enacted on April 1, 2003.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Perfect. That's good to know. Thank you.
When I look at deck 2, and again, I've drawn the line at 2003, indicating the YCJA, it is telling me that overall, youth crime is going down, whether they are charged or not. Is that what this is saying?
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
Slide 2 represents the rate of youth charged and youth not charged for overall crimes.
NDP
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
It means youth who commit crimes who come to the attention of police but are not formally charged by the police.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Okay, thank you.
Are you able to provide us with data showing youth charged who are sentenced to custody? Do you have that information by race or ethnicity?
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
No, we do not.
NDP
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
You do not.
Do you have any racialized data that would be useful to us for understanding who these youth are?
Senior Analyst, Policing Services Program, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
We collect some information on the aboriginal status of persons who come to the attention of police. However, there are many police services that do not provide that information to us. We would have to look at the data quality to determine whether it would be appropriate to release.
Director, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, Statistics Canada
We are currently working with police departments across the country, and we did a feasibility in Saskatchewan to look at whether that information could be collected directly at the time of interview. That was discussed at the deputy ministers of justice meeting in January, where there was an agreement that CCJS, our centre, should go back and see how we could effectively collect that information.
In terms of aboriginal data, the best source of data for actually looking at the aboriginal component would be our corrections program.
