Study: Growth and aging of justice personnel

View the most recent version.

The number of workers in justice-related occupations reached 362,665 in 2006, a 20% increase since 1991. While overall growth in the number of justice personnel during the period was slightly higher than that of the Canadian labour force in general (+14%), justice workers continued to represent 2% of the total labour force in 2006.

All justice sectors recorded increases in their personnel between 1991 and 2006, ranging from 12% among police officers to 24% among courts personnel.

Combined, the aging patterns of justice personnel closely resembled those of the total Canadian labour force between 1991 and 2006. The median age of both of these groups in 2006 was 41. This represents a 5 year increase in the median age for the total Canadian labour force and a 4 year increase for justice workers since 1991.

Among workers in justice-related occupations, courts personnel are aging the most rapidly. This sector includes legal secretaries, court recorders, justices of the peace, court clerks, lawyers and judges. The median age of workers in the court sector has increased 7 years since 1991, reaching 43 in 2006.

Police officers were the youngest among those working in Canada's justice field in 2006. With a median age of 39, nearly 80% of the nation's 69,305 police officers were between the ages of 25 and 49.

While the median age of correctional services personnel (41 years) was higher than that of police officers, their age structure was similar. More than 7 in 10 (71%) correctional service workers were between the ages of 25 and 49 in 2006.

Private security personnel, on the other hand, had higher proportions of workers in the youngest and oldest age groups compared with police and correctional services personnel. Among the 108,345 private investigators and security guards, 19% were less than 25 years of age and 35% were over the age of 49.

Note: This report provides a demographic portrait of justice-related occupations between 1991 and 2006. Most of the data are from the 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 censuses of population. The report analyzes four groups: police officers, private security personnel, court workers and correctional services personnel.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3901.

The article "Aging of justice personnel" is now available in Juristat, Vol. 29, no. 1 (85-002-XWE, free). From the home page of our website, under the right hand side bar, choose Juristat, then Current issue.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (toll-free 1-800-387-2231; 613-951-9023), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.

Study: Growth and aging of justice personnel

The number of workers in justice-related occupations reached 362,665 in 2006, a 20% increase since 1991. While overall growth in the number of justice personnel during the period was slightly higher than that of the Canadian labour force in general (+14%), justice workers continued to represent 2% of the total labour force in 2006.

All justice sectors recorded increases in their personnel between 1991 and 2006, ranging from 12% among police officers to 24% among courts personnel.

Combined, the aging patterns of justice personnel closely resembled those of the total Canadian labour force between 1991 and 2006. The median age of both of these groups in 2006 was 41. This represents a 5 year increase in the median age for the total Canadian labour force and a 4 year increase for justice workers since 1991.

Among workers in justice-related occupations, courts personnel are aging the most rapidly. This sector includes legal secretaries, court recorders, justices of the peace, court clerks, lawyers and judges. The median age of workers in the court sector has increased 7 years since 1991, reaching 43 in 2006.

Police officers were the youngest among those working in Canada's justice field in 2006. With a median age of 39, nearly 80% of the nation's 69,305 police officers were between the ages of 25 and 49.

While the median age of correctional services personnel (41 years) was higher than that of police officers, their age structure was similar. More than 7 in 10 (71%) correctional service workers were between the ages of 25 and 49 in 2006.

Private security personnel, on the other hand, had higher proportions of workers in the youngest and oldest age groups compared with police and correctional services personnel. Among the 108,345 private investigators and security guards, 19% were less than 25 years of age and 35% were over the age of 49.

Note: This report provides a demographic portrait of justice-related occupations between 1991 and 2006. Most of the data are from the 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 censuses of population. The report analyzes four groups: police officers, private security personnel, court workers and correctional services personnel.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3901.

The article "Aging of justice personnel" is now available in Juristat, Vol. 29, no. 1 (85-002-XWE, free). From the home page of our website, under the right hand side bar, choose Juristat, then Current issue.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Information and Client Services (toll-free 1-800-387-2231; 613-951-9023), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.