Study: Trends in the use of remand in Canada, 2004/2005 to 2014/2015
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Released: 2017-01-10
On an average day in 2014/2015, almost 6 in 10 adults being held in custody in a provincial or territorial correctional facility in Canada were in remand awaiting their trial, while 4 in 10 were serving a sentence following a conviction.
The average daily number of adults being held in remand (pre-trial detention) has exceeded the number held in sentenced custody since 2004/2005.
The average daily adult remand population was 13,650 in 2014/2015, an increase of 39% from 2004/2005. This rise was more than five times greater than the increase (+7%) in the average daily population of adults in sentenced custody. Within this same period, the number of adults charged with a crime by police in Canada fell 2.4% from 2004 to 2014.
There were also more youth aged 12 to 17 being held in pre-trial detention (561, or 56%) than there were in sentenced custody (448, or 44%) on an average day in 2014/2015 in the 12 reporting provinces and territories. The average number of youth held in pre-trial detention has outnumbered those in sentenced custody since 2007/2008.
Unlike adults, the average daily population of youth in custody has been falling since 2004/2005. For the 12 reporting provinces and territories, the average number of youth in pre-trial detention fell 33% from 2004/2005 to 2014/2015. Furthermore, there was a 60% decline in the number of youth in sentenced custody on an average day. Over that period, the number of youth charged with a crime by police in Canada fell 46%.
These findings are included in the new Juristat article "Trends in the use of remand in Canada, 2004/2005 to 2014/2015" released today.
Note to readers
The data presented in this release come from four different surveys. Average counts data come from the Corrections Key Indicator Report for Adults and Youth, while data on admissions come from the Adult Correctional Services Survey, the Youth Custody and Community Services Survey and the Integrated Correctional Services Survey. Data coverage for these surveys for some years is incomplete.
The analysis excludes the federal correctional service because it does not supervise remand. The analysis also excludes persons held in "other temporary detention", such as immigration holds.
Police data are collected by calendar year (e.g. 2014) whereas corrections data are collected by fiscal year (e.g. 2014/2015).
Products
The Juristat article "Trends in the use of remand in Canada, 2004/2005 to 2014/2015" (85-002-X) is now available.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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