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Costs of Crime in Canada, 2008

Appendix A: Criminal Justice System Costs

Appendix A: Criminal Justice System Costs

Table 1: Police Costs
Total police expenditures 2008 $11,448,937,000 a
Proportion of the expenditures spent on crime 75% b
Total Police Costs ($11,448,937,000 * 75%) $8,586,703,000
Total Police Costs $8,586,703,000
  1. Police Resources in Canada, 2009, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
  2. It is reported that UK police spend about 61% of their time addressing or preventing crime. As police in the UK have a greater variety of responsibilities than Canadian police, we assume that the proportion of time spent on crime in Canada is higher at 75%. Other duties can include: offering youth education seminars, coordinating community efforts, patrolling a regular route or responding to complaints ranging from noise complaints to emergency calls for help. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/7639046/Police-spend-almost-half-of-time-not-tackling-crime.html
Table 2: Court Costs
Number of civil cases per capita 2.06% a
Population in Canada 2002/03 31,425,160
Estimated number of active civil cases 2002/03 (31,425,160 * 2.06%) 648,499
Number of criminal cases (adult + youth) 2002/03 496,663 b
Total cases processed in courts 2002/03 (648,499 + 496,663) 1,145,162
Total court expenditures 2002/03 $1,151,885,000 c
Average court cost per case 2002/03 ($1,151,885,000 / 1,145,162) $1,006
Average court cost per case 2008 (inflation adjustment) $1,153
Average court cost per case 2008 ($1,153 * 1.23) $1,418 d
Number of criminal cases 2008 474,030 e
Total Criminal Court Costs ($1,418 * 474,030) $672,392,760
Total Criminal Court Costs $672,392,760
  1. This figure is calculated as the average number of initiated civil cases per capita over the period between 2005/06 and 2008/09 in several jurisdictions. Number of initiated civil cases with associated coverage in each year can be found in Civil Court Survey Statistics, 2005/06 to 2008/09, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
  2. Adult Criminal Court Survey (ACCS) and Youth Court Survey (YCS), 2002/03, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
  3. Overview of the Courts Personnel and Expenditures Survey, 2002/03.
  4. The average elapsed time per criminal case has increased by 23% from 2002/03 to 2008/09.
    In addition, note that another measure - the number of appearances per case has indicated a similar trend (increasing by 22%) from 2002/03 to 2008/09.
  5. ACCS and YCS, 2007/08, 2008/09, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
Table 3: Prosecution Costs
Criminal prosecution expenditures (excluding BC) 2002/03 $352,139,000 a
Number of criminal cases (adult + youth) (excluding BC) 2002/03 443,268 b
Average prosecution cost per case 2002/03 ($352,139,000 / 443,268) $794
Average prosecution cost per case 2008 (inflation adjustment) $906
Average prosecution cost per case 2008 ($906 * 1.23) $1,114 c
Number of criminal cases 2008 474,030 d
Total Prosecution Costs ($1,114 * 474,030) $528,249,551
Total Prosecution Costs $528,249,551
  1. Overview of the Prosecutions Personnel and Expenditures Survey, 2002/03.
  2. ACCS and YCS, 2002/03, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
  3. The average case elapsed time per case has increased by 23% from 2002/03 to 2008/09. In addition, note that another measure - the number of appearances per case has indicated a similar trend (increasing by 22%) from 2002/03 to 2008/09.
  4. ACCS and YCS, 2007/08, 2008/09, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
Table 4: Legal Aid Costs
Direct legal service expenditures (criminal matters) 2007/08 $282,085,000 a
Direct legal service expenditures (criminal matters) 2008/09 $306,202,000 a
Other expenditures (criminal matters) 2007/08 $69,255,000 a
Other expenditures (criminal matters) 2008/09 $74,653,000 a
Total legal aid expenditures (criminal matters)
2007/08 ($282,085,000 + $69,255,000) 		$351,340,000
Total legal aid expenditures (criminal matters)
2008/09 ($306,202,000 + $74,653,000) 		$380,855,000
Total Legal Service Costs ($351,340,000 *25% + $380,855,000*75%) $373,476,250
Total Legal Service Costs $373,476,250
  1. Legal Aid in Canada: Resource and Caseload Statistics 2008/09.
Table 5: Correction Costs
Adult federal correction costs 2007/08 $2,011,881,000 a 
Adult federal correction costs 2008 (inflation adjustment) $2,063,076,186
Adult provincial correction costs (operating expenditures) 2007/08 $1,637,981,000 a 
Adult provincial correction costs (capital expenditures) 2007/08 $123,109,000 b
Adult provincial correction costs 2007/08 ($1,637,981,000 + $123,109,000) $1,761,090,000
Adult provincial correction costs 2008 $1,805,903,451
Total adult correction costs 2008 ($2,063,076,186 + $1,805,903,451) $3,868,979,637
Youth correction costs 2008 ($3,868,979,637 * 25%) $967,244,909 c
Total Correction Costs ($3,868,979,637 + $967,244,909) $4,836,224,546
  1. Adult Correctional Services in Canada (ACS), 2007-2008 reference table, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
  2. Provincial capital expenditures are estimated by using the proportion that federal capital costs represent relative to federal operating expenditures. 
  3. Youth correction costs are approximately 25% of the adult correction costs. Justice Spending in Canada 1997, CCJS, Statistics Canada.
Table 6: Criminal Code Review Board Costs
Criminal code review board expenditures 2008 $12,000,000 a
Total Criminal code Review Board Expenditures $12,000,000
  1. Criminal Code Review Board in provinces and territories.
Date Modified: 2011-12-05

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