The National Justice Survey 2022 Infographic: Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System

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The National Justice Survey 2022 Infographic: Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System
The National Justice Survey 2022 Infographic: Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System
The National Justice Survey 2022 Infographic: Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System – Text version

Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System 2022

Key findings from the 2022 National Justice Survey

Breakdown of respondents’ confidence that the CJS is fair to all people

  • 2022: 49% not confident; 25% moderately confident; 25% confident
  • 2021: 47% not confident; 31% moderately confident; 20% confident
  • 2019*: 43% not confident; 32% moderately confident; 23% confident
  • 2018: 42% not confident; 30% moderately confident; 27% confident

The percentage of Canadians who are confident in the criminal justice system (CJS) increased between 2021 and 2022.

In 2022, 25% of respondents reported being confident (a rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale) that the criminal justice system was fair to all people; up from 20% in 2021.

The percentage of Canadians who are not confident that the CJS is fair to all people has been steadily increasing from 42% in 2018 to 49% in 2022.

Breakdown of respondents’ confidence that the CJS is accessible to all people

  • 2022: 39% not confident; 25% moderately confident; 33% confident
  • 2021: 45% not confident; 30% moderately confident; 22% confident
  • 2019*: 35% not confident; 35% moderately confident; 27% confident
  • 2018: 35% not confident; 29% moderately confident; 33% confident

*2019 Results were obtained from the 2021 National Justice Survey Question: Thinking back to before the pandemic was declared in the middle of March 2020, how confident were you that the Canadian criminal justice system was…[fair to all people],[accessible to all people]?

In 2022, 33% of respondents were confident that the criminal justice system was accessible to all people; up from 22% in 2021.

After an increase in 2021, the percentage of Canadians who are not confident that the CJS is accessible to all people started to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022.

Men are more likely to report being confident in the criminal justice system than women.

  • The percentage of men who were confident that the criminal justice system is fair to all people was 10% higher than women.
  • The percentage of men who were confident that the criminal justice system is accessible to all people was 8% higher than women.

Confidence in the criminal justice system generally increases with age.

  • 18 to 34 years old: 20% fair; 26% accessible
  • 35 to 54 years old: 25% fair; 34% accessible
  • 55 years or older: 31% fair; 37% accessible

Confidence in the criminal justice system generally increases with income.

  • Under 20K annual income: 17% fair; 28% accessible
  • $20-$59K annual income: 23% fair; 32% accessible
  • $60-$99K annual income: 26% fair; 32% accessible
  • $100-$149K annual income: 26% fair; 33% accessible
  • Over 150K annual income: 32% fair; 40% accessible

The proportion of Canadians who report being confident in the CJS differs by ethno-cultural identity.

  • Total Racialized Groups**: 31% fair; 36% accessible
  • Black: 19% fair; 31% accessible
  • East Asian: 36% fair; 40% accessible
  • Latino/Latina/Latinx: 29% fair; 32% accessible
  • Middle Eastern and North African: 31% fair; 36% accessible
  • South Asian: 34% fair; 39% accessible
  • Southeast Asian: 38% fair; 38% accessible
  • White: 24% fair; 32% accessible

**Total Racialized Groups includes Black, East Asian, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, Southeast Asian respondents.

People born outside of Canada are more likely to report being confident in the CJS than people born in Canada.

  • The percentage of respondents born outside of Canada who were confident that the criminal justice system is fair to all people was 10% higher than respondents born in Canada.
  • The percentage of respondents born outside of Canada who were confident that the criminal justice system is accessible to all people was 7% higher than respondents born in Canada.

Indigenous people report lower confidence in the CJS than White people.

  • Total Indigenous†: 15% fair; 22% accessible
  • First Nations: 11% fair; 22% accessible
  • Inuit^: 27% fair; 30% accessible
  • Métis: 16% fair; 22% accessible
  • White: 24% fair; 32% accessible

† Total Indigenous includes: First Nations, Inuit and Métis respondents.

^ Caution: small sample size (≤ 50)

Notes:

  • Questions on confidence in the CJS were asked on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is "not at all confident" and 5 is "very confident." In this infographic, the term "confidence" refers to a rating of 4 or 5 on a 5 point scale.
  • Bars in graphs do not add to 100% ("Don’t know" responses are included in analysis but are not displayed)
  • Total Racialized Groups includes Black, East Asian, Latino/Latina/Latinx, Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, Southeast Asian.

Source: 2022 National Justice Survey https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/jr/NJS-SNJ.html