Drug Use and Offending

Q7. Are offenders always charged by the police when drugs are involved?

Drugs are involved? A criminal charge was laid in more than one-half of all drug incidents reported by the police.

Drug offences and violent offences have the lowest reported/charged ratio

In 2000, for every 2 drug offences reported, one resulted in a charge laid by the police. This ratio is identical to violent offences. However, property offences have a lower charge ratio of 7:1, which means that for 7 property offences reported, one charge is laid by the police (see Appendix B, Table 6 for more information).

Low ratio for drug trafficking

Of the different types of drug charges reported by the police, importation/production is the least likely offence to result in the laying of a criminal charge (3:1) while virtually all trafficking offences result in a charge (1:1) (see Appendix B, Table 7 for more information).

Source

Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2000, Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.