Youth Custody and Probation in Canada, 1994-95

• NCJ Number: 161972
• Journal: Juristat Volume: 16 Issue: 5 Dated: (March 1996) Pages: 1-20
• Author(s): C St-Amand; P Greenberg
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: French; English
• Country: Canada
• Note: US Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, International Crime Statistics Program.

Annotation

This report presents statistics and information on youth correctional caseload trends in Canada, with a focus on the custodial population.

Abstract

In 1994-95, the majority of youth court cases with guilty findings (66 percent) resulted in probation or other community- based programs; custody sentences were ordered for 34 percent, of which slightly more than half were to open custody. On any given day in 1994-95, there were on average 4,900 youths in custody, representing approximately 0.2 percent of Canada's youth population. Since 1990-91, the number of youths in custody has increased gradually each year, by 20 percent overall. An average of 35,770 young offenders were serving a term of probation in 1994-95. The number of probationers has increased steadily each year, 30 percent overall since 1990-91. Nearly 40 percent of all youths in custody in 1994-95 were serving their sentences in secure custody, an overall increase of 15 percent since 1990-91. Approximately 45 percent of youths in custody were serving sentences in open custody, an increase of 24 percent since 1990- 91. An average of 760 youths were held in custody on remand status (while awaiting completion of their cases), composing approximately 15 percent of all youths in custody. The remand court has also been increasing steadily, up 20 percent since 1990-91. Youth court data show that in 1994-95, 43 percent of sentences to custody were for property-related offenses. 4 figures and 5 tables