Department of Justice Canada

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada released 94 Calls to Action (CTA) to redress the legacy of residential schools and advance the process of Canadian reconciliation. In CTA 40, the Commission focussed on victims’ programs and services by calling on all levels of...

In recent academic, professional and media conversations regarding pre-trial detention in Canada, a new expression has been taking shape. Specifically, an increasing number of people have claimed that “Bail is Broken” in this country. It is likely safe to assume that the generic reference to...

These fact sheets are based on data from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS) Juristat Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2016, 2017, 2020.

This public opinion research report presents the results of a review of scientific literature, individual interviews with Canadian and international researchers as well as representatives of Canada’s provincial and territorial governments, and a group interview with members of the Canadian...

As part of ongoing legal policy work, the Department of Justice Canada contracted with Kelly Sears Consulting Group to conduct an extensive review of international models used to determine child support amounts. The overall purpose of the research was to review and analyze child support models...

The Department of Justice Canada created the first performance monitoring framework (“the Framework”) for Canada’s criminal justice system in 2019. The Framework identified broad expected outcomes, measured by key indicators. The State of the Criminal Justice System Report presents quantitative...

The Department of Justice Canada funds projects through the Youth Justice Fund that seek to help youth who are involved in the criminal justice system (CJS). The Youth Justice Fund provides grants and contributions to projects that encourage a more effective youth justice system, respond to...

The Departmental Performance Reports and Departmental Results are similar, but different functions that serve to outline the strategic outcomes of the Department of Justice, but also the accomplishments that occurred over the fiscal year. The report describes to the purpose of the Department of...

The purpose of this report, commissioned by the Research and Statistics Division of the Department of Justice, is to review and update changes to open court and victim privacy principle since 2003, which was the year that Victim Privacy and the Open Court Principle report was written (hereinafter...

As part of the Government of Canada’s Victims of Crime Initiative, the Policy Centre for Victim Issues was created in 2000. In that same year, I completed a report for the Department of Justice entitled “The Role of the Victim in the Criminal Process: A Literature Review – 1989 to 1999.” I was...

Black people are overrepresented in Canada's criminal justice system as both victims and people accused or convicted of crime. This fact sheet presents a statistical overview of the key areas of overrepresentation of Black people at different stages of the criminal justice system. National...

This Research in Brief describes navigator programs in Canada, a people-focused approach to enhancing access to justice by providing assistance to those with serious legal problems. The Department of Justice Canada uses a definition of access to justice that is broad and recognizes the importance...

This fact sheet is based on data from the 2021 Canadian Legal Problems Survey (CLPS) undertaken by Statistics Canada and commissioned by Justice Canada. The CLPS is a legal needs or legal problems survey; these surveys are done in countries around the world to measure the incidence of legal...

The Open Government Implementation Plan (OGIP) for Justice Canada describes the approach the Department will take to meet the requirements of the Directive on Open Government. This is the OGIP that was written by Justice Canada in 2015. Since this was written, we have changed some of our...

The Department of Justice supports the Attorney General as a chief law officer of the Crown both in terms of the ongoing operations of the government as well as the development of new policies, programs and services for Canadians to support the Government's priorities. The Department provides an...

Restorative Justice (RJ) is based on an understanding that crime causes harm to people and relationships, and it affects communities. RJ is an approach to justice that seeks to repair harm by providing an opportunity for those harmed and those who take responsibility for the harm to communicate...

This study examines the way courts have applied hate as an aggravating factor at sentencing (subparagraph 718.2(a)(i) of the Criminal Code). The main purpose of this research was to identify the most common characteristics of offenders and victims of hate crimes, to identify the most frequent...

The objective of this project is to collect and collate research, describe existing methods to include the children’s voices in family law in Canada (and internationally where relevant), to identify themes, and to develop a comprehensive and accessible literature review. This review provides...

This fact sheet presents information on criminal court cases where the most serious offence in the case is a child-related sexual offence subject to a mandatory minimum penalty (MMP). Data were obtained through a request to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS)...

This fact sheet presents information on criminal court cases where the most serious offence in the case is a firearm-related offence subject to a mandatory minimum penalty (MMP). Data were obtained through a request to the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics (CCJCSS) and...