A Handbook for Police and Crown Prosecutors on Criminal Harassment

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Table of Contents

• Part 1 Introduction
  • 1.1 Purpose of this Handbook
  • 1.2 Legislative History of Criminal Harassment
  • 1.3 What Do We Know About Criminal Harassment in Canada?
    • 1.3.1 Police and Court Reported Data
    • 1.3.2 Victim/Survivor Survey Reports
  • 1.4 Impact of Criminal Harassment on the Victim
  • 1.5 What Do We Know About Stalkers in Canada?
    • 1.5.1 Typologies of Criminal Harassment
  • 1.6 Using Technology to Criminally Hassas (a.k.a. Cyberstalking, Online Criminal Harassment,and Cyberbullying
    • 1.6.1 Online Criminal Harassment, Cyberstalking and a Related Typology
    • 1.6.2 Online Bullying and Cyberbullying
• Part 2 Guidelines for police: Investigating criminal harassment
  • 2.1 Complainant Interview
  • 2.2 Advice to the Complainant
  • 2.3 Victim Welfare
  • 2.4 Collecting Evidence: Information to Investigate and Document
  • 2.5 Additional Investigative Techniques
  • 2.6 Collecting Technological Evidence
  • 2.7 Physical Evidence
  • 2.8 Search Warrants
  • 2.9 Expert Assistance
  • 2.10 Threat and Risk Assessments
  • 2.11 Level of Intervention
    • 2.11.1 No intervention
    • 2.11.2 Face-to-Face Deterrence
    • 2.11.3 Peace Bonds, Civil Protection Orders, and Civil Restraining Orders
    • 2.11.4 Prohibition Against Possessing Weapons
    • 2.11.5 Arrest and Charges
  • 2.12 Release from Custody
  • 2.13 Police Report to Crown Counsel
  • 2.14 Coding or Scoring Files for Incidents
  • 2.15 The National Flagging System (NFS) for High-Risk Offenders
• Part 3 The Law
  • 3.1 Prohibition of Criminal Harassment
  • 3.2 Criminal Code Provisions
  • 3.3 Charter Challenges
  • 3.4 Key Elements
    • 3.4.1 The Accused Engaged in Conduct Described in Subsection 264(2)
    • 3.4.2 The Complainant was Harassed
    • 3.4.3 The Accused Knew That the Complainant Was Harassed or Was Reckless or Wilfully Blind as to Whether the Complainant Was Harassed
    • 3.4.4 The Complainant Feared for Her or His Safety, or That of Someone Known to Her or Him
    • 3.4.5 The Complainant’s Fear Was Reasonable in All of the Circumstances
    • 3.4.6 Without Lawful Authority
  • 3.5 Murder Committed in the Course of Criminal Harassment
  • 3.6 Case Law Dealing with Cyberstalking and Online Harassment
• Part 4 Guidelines for crown prosecutors
  • 4.1 Process Considerations
  • 4.2 Victim Interview
  • 4.3 Approval or Review of Charges
  • 4.4 Pre-Trial Release
    • 4.4.1 Where Accused is not in Custody
    • 4.4.2 Evidence at Bail Application Hearing
  • 4.5 Conditions for Release
    • 4.5.1 Mandatory Consideration
    • 4.5.2 Firearms/Weapons Prohibition
    • 4.5.3 Additional Conditions
    • 4.5.4 Follow-up with Police, Victim Services and Complainant
    • 4.5.5 Breach of Bail Conditions
  • 4.6 Election: Summary Conviction or Indictment Considerations
  • 4.7 Case Preparation
  • 4.8 Sentencing
    • 4.8.1 Relevant Factors
    • 4.8.2 Custodial Sentences
    • 4.8.3 Dangerous and Long-Term Offender Applications
    • 4.8.4 Conditional Sentences
    • 4.8.5 Probation Conditions
    • 4.8.6 Breach of Probation
    • 4.8.7 Fine
    • 4.8.8 Restitution
  • 4.9 Ancillary Sentencing Orders
    • 4.9.1 Firearms/Weapons Related Orders
    • 4.9.2 Victim Surcharge
    • 4.9.3 DNA Orders
  • 4.10 Victim Impact Statements
• Appendix A: Experts: Police specialists
  1. Behavioural Analysts and Specialists in Criminal Harassment
  2. Firearms Investigation Specialist
• Appendix B: Legislative history of section 264 of the Criminal Code
  • Introduction of the Offence of Criminal Harassment into the Criminal Code
  • 1997 Amendments—Bill C-27—murder in the course of criminal harassment
  • 2001 Amendments—Bill C-15A—doubling of maximum sentence