JustResearch Issue 15

JustPreview

The following is a preview of reports that will be featured in the next issue of JustResearch.

An Outcome Analysis of Drug Production Cases in Canada, 1998-2003

This study will examine how accused demographics, production site characteristics and criminal history relate to case outcome, disposition, and offender recidivism in Canadian drug production cases.

Drug Importers in Ontario

Nicole Crutcher, Senior Research Officer

Two criminal cases (R v. Hamilton and Mason) demonstrated that very little is known about the nature of offenders who commit drug offences, or factors that are related to the importation of illicit substances. This study will provide an analysis of offender and characteristics, and examine case outcome and recidivism of offenders charged with importing in Ontario. 

Perceptions of Risk: An Examination of Federal Drug Offenders in Ontario

Nicole Crutcher, Senior Research Officer

Importing drugs is a unique offence inasmuch as it requires a degree of planning and premeditation. Very little is known about the offenders who commit serious drug offences as represented by federal prison sentences (2 years or more). Through interviews with inmates this study examines the risk perceptions drug offenders in Ontario had prior to committing their offence. In addition, the study also will speak to federal offenders’ involvement in organized crime. Finally, given concerns over sentence length and deterrence, their knowledge of sentencing will also be examined.

Prevalence of Drug Impaired Driving In Canada, 2000 - 2004

In Canada, information on fatally injured impaired drivers has been collected for over 30 years. These data have been useful in monitoring alcohol-impaired driving. In order to track the incidence of drug-impaired driving, the Strategy to Reduce Impaired Driving (STRID) fatality database, collected by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation on behalf of Transport Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators was modified to collect drug-impaired driving-related information.

To date, the mechanism by which various drugs might contribute to vehicle crashes is not well understood. The aim of this study is to elucidate the current situation of drug-impaired driving in Canada. This research will speak to the magnitude of drug-impaired driving at the both the national and regional levels. A unique feature of this study is that it will contain quantitative information on the presence of drugs on fatally injured drivers. The results of this study will provide information on positive testing rates for drugs among fatally injured drivers in Canada. Results will be based upon 9,158 fatally injured drivers and will examine rates by type of substance as well as by region within Canada.