Department of Justice Canada

Recidivism is the act of committing another crime or coming into conflict with the criminal justice system (CJS) again. It is an important measure of the effectiveness of CJS efforts to promote rehabilitation, reintegration, and public safety. This fact sheet is based on publicly available data...

The Criminal Code is a federal law that includes definitions of most of the criminal offences that the Parliament of Canada has enacted. It is often updated as society evolves and to improve the Canadian criminal process.

Section 4.2 of the Department of Justice Act requires the Minister of Justice to prepare a Charter Statement for every government bill to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on government bills. One of the Minister of Justice’s most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for...

Section 4.2 of the Department of Justice Act requires the Minister of Justice to prepare a Charter Statement for every government bill to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on government bills. One of the Minister of Justice’s most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for...

Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a common neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, face high rates of criminal justice system contact and are overrepresented in correctional and forensic settings. As a result, forensic mental health...

This report presents the findings of a gap analysis of specialized services for victims and survivors of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) in Canada. The analysis took place between March and July 2019 and was conducted to identify existing specialized support services for victims...

Section 4.2 of the Department of Justice Act requires the Minister of Justice to prepare a Charter Statement for every government bill to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on government bills. One of the Minister of Justice’s most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for...

Section 4.2 of the Department of Justice Act requires the Minister of Justice to prepare a Charter Statement for every government bill to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on government bills. One of the Minister of Justice’s most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for...

Section 4.2 of the Department of Justice Act requires the Minister of Justice to prepare a Charter Statement for every government bill to help inform public and Parliamentary debate on government bills. One of the Minister of Justice’s most important responsibilities is to examine legislation for...

A parenting plan outlines how parents will raise their children after separation or divorce. It describes how parents not living together will care for and make important decisions about their children in both homes. You can agree to any type of parenting arrangement, but you should focus on what...

This guide is for parents. It contains helpful information about parenting after separation and divorce. You can use this guide if you’re making a parenting arrangement under the Divorce Act. This guide may still be useful to you even if the Divorce Act doesn’t apply to your situation. The basic...

This Fact Sheet provides general information about child support under the Divorce Act.

This Fact Sheet provides general information about getting a divorce in Canada under the federal Divorce Act. This Act applies when at least one spouse has resided in a Canadian province or territory for at least one year before they apply for a divorce.

This document will give you some general information about why it is important to hear from children in family law matters, and help you understand the changes to the Divorce Act that make a child’s views and preferences. An important consideration in determining the best interests of the child.

The new Divorce Act includes a framework to guide divorced or divorcing parents, family justice professionals and courts in situations when a parent plans to move their child or to move away from their child. There are rules about: new steps to follow when a parent plans to move, and how a court...

This guide has general information, instructions and worksheets, as well as other tools to help you make decisions about child support when you separate or divorce.

This booklet has two purposes. First, it's meant to help children learn some basic facts about family law and give them an idea of the processes that parents may go through when they separate. Second, it's meant to help children realize that it's normal for them to have an emotional response to...

This Fact Sheet provides general information about spousal support under the Divorce Act. The Divorce Act applies to married couples who are divorcing. Provincial or territorial laws apply to unmarried or common-law couples that are separating and to married couples that are separating but not...

This resource provides insight on parenting agreements made after the new Divorce Act came into force on March 1, 2021.

Both parents have a legal obligation to support their children financially after separation or divorce. Children have a legal right to that support. Under the Federal Child Support Guidelines parents need to provide complete and up-to-date income information to ensure a fair amount of support....