What Canadians can take away from the National Justice Survey

In a nutshell, the role of criminal justice is to control crime and impose penalties on those who violate laws. A criminal lawyer is a professional who will help those accused or suspected of doing this and they play a fundamental role in representing the defendant throughout the trial. However just as important is for the general public to know what their rights are and have at least a basic understanding of the justice system. 

In an effort to learn more about perceptions and knowledge of Canadians, the Department of Justice conducts a survey every year. The most recent findings involved a sample of over 2,000 participants aged 18 and older and was rolled out in four main components involving surveys, a focus group and one-on-one interviews from across the country.

To be able to put the findings into context, it is important to understand more about the background of the participants. Over half of them reveal to have no prior involvement with the justice system while the remaining proportion have either been a victim of a crime or accused or convicted for one. Other involvements include witnessing a crime or knowing someone who has or has been involved in one. Overall, the selection enables a wide range of diversity which is indispensable when looking to evaluate views. 

Low awareness among Canadians when it comes to the role of court

While over half (55 per cent) of respondents said they are aware of the role the police plays in the criminal justice system, only 45 per cent were able to say the same thing about the role of courts with the majority being either unaware or moderately aware. Overall men were found to know more about both and in terms of age groups, those falling in the 35 to 44 category appeared more knowledgeable.

About one-third think the Canadian Criminal justice system is fair and accessible

Figures where low when respondents were asked to answer the question how confident are you that the Canadian criminal justice system is accessible to everyone and fair to everyone. Over two in five said that they do not feel confident the system is fair to all people and about three in ten rated themselves as confident or unconfident in it being accessible to everyone. Even more so, those who had to deal with the criminal justice system previously are even less confident about its ability to be accessible (39 per cent) or deem it as fair to all (47 per cent).  Without doubt these findings alone reveal that there is a bigger problem that needs to be addressed.

Police-reported crime in Canada increased by 2% for the fourth consecutive year 

When looking at the bigger picture and how these answers fit into that, Statistics Canada reported that 2018 was the fourth consecutive year when crime increased with cases involving everything from fraud, sexual assault, weapon cases, theft, breaking and entering. Ontario was one of the two provinces which recorded an increase in higher crime severity in comparison to previous years being only second to Prince Edward Island. Ontario saw 69 more homicides in 2018, in part as a result of three serious incidents that occurred in Toronto and resulted in 20 murders and 26 attempted murders. 

The role of a criminal lawyer in all of this

All of these reported crimes fall under the umbrella of criminal law. Hiring an experienced lawyer can make or break a case and everybody should have access to their services. Given the low awareness of the justice system overall, it would not be surprising to learn there is an even smaller number of Canadian who have an understanding of what a criminal lawyer does and how their role fits in. Very top line, a criminal lawyer is tasked with conducting extensive research and evaluating cases, coming up with a defence strategy based on facts and information and presenting these findings in court in an effort to win the case on the defendant’s behalf or negotiate a plea or settlement. 

In Toronto, criminal lawyers are racing each other to get the best cases and attracts client which might make the decision of hiring the best one for a specific case incredibly difficult. Many Canadians make rash decisions under the pressure of the situation and the time constraints which leads to poor outcomes. Experts in the field always recommend evaluating credentials, experience and testimonials from other clients before committing to a criminal lawyer.