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Criminology

Latest key Canadian crime statistics

Source: Statistics Canada. (2021). Police-reported crime in Canada, 2020 [Infographic]. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-627-m/11-627-m2021053-eng.htm

Canadian Crime & Justice Statistics

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Search Tip

​To find a Juristat article on a specific topic, DON'T use the Juristat site.

Instead, go to the Statistics Canada Analysis Search form, then enter your search term(s) and the word JURISTAT in the search box, like in this screenshot:

 

APA citation for this video:
Wilfred Laurier University Library. (2018). Finding statistics using StatCan's data portal [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/azTz_rVRsZQ

 ​More help using Statistics Canada Data Tables

Where do these statistics come from?

The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) -- part of Statistics Canada -- is the main source of crime and justice statistics in Canada. It gathers data every year from several sources: police departments, courts, and correctional facilities. Statistics Canada also conducts a crime victimization survey every five years. 

Results from these surveys are compiled into tables, and published in Statistics Canada's data tables. Experts at the CCJS also analyze the results and write up reports and publish articles in Juristat.

For summarized tables, trends and expert analysis, search in Juristat. Every July, Juristat publishes a summary of police-reported crime statistics

To dig into the statistics, you can link to Statistics Canada's Data Tables from these surveys:

For summarized tables, trends and expert analysis, see these articles:

Dig into the data:

For summarized data, see these publications:

To dig into the data, you can link to Statistics Canada's Data Tables from these surveys:

Every 5 years, Statistics Canada conducts a national survey on victimization as part of its General Social Survey (GSS) program. Results from the 2014 General Social Survey on Victimization -- also called GSS Cycle 28: Canadians' Safety -- started being published in late 2015. 

The Library of Parliament has prepared this brief description of the GSS on Victimization.

BC Crime & Justice Statistics

For summarized tables and trends, see these publications:

To dig into the data, see these files from DataBC:

Police Use-of-Force Data

as posted on BC Government's Crime, Police and Police Resource Statistics website:

  • The following tables present data collected annually pursuant to the British Columbia Provincial Policing Standards (BCPPS) on the use of Police Service Dogs: 2016 and 2017.
  • The Police Intermediate Weapon report presents a summary of police intermediate-weapon uses in B.C. between 2012 and 2017.
  • The Police Firearm Discharges report presents a summary of police firearm-discharge incidents in B.C. between 2007 and 2017.
  • The Conducted Energy Weapon (CEWs) report presents a 10-year summary and trend analysis of intermediate-weapon use among police agencies in B.C. between 2007 and 2016.
  • The following tables present data collected annually pursuant to the British Columbia Provincial Policing Standards (BCPPS) on the use of Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs): 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

Local Crime & Justice Statistics

If you want to do some serious number-crunching, or crime mapping, see:

International Statistics

Use caution in comparing criminal justice data from different countries

Public Opinion Polls

Please see the links to Public Opinion Sources on the Library's Statistics research Guide. Here are just a couple of examples::

New from Statistics Canada

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