Adult and Youth Recidivism in Canada Special Study

Detailed information for 1999-2000

The purpose of this pilot study of court-based recidivism is to explore the possibility for ongoing and improved measures.

Data release - October 23, 2002

• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

The purpose of this pilot study of court-based recidivism is to explore the possibility for ongoing and improved measures.

Subjects

• Children and youth
• Correctional services
• Crime and justice
• Crime and justice (youth)

Data sources and methodology

Target population

This study examined the conviction profiles of men and women aged 18 to 25 who were found guilty of at least one charge in adult criminal court in 1999/2000. In view of data coverage limitations, a recidivist was defined as an offender with at least one conviction in 1999/2000 and at least one more conviction in an adult court since 1994/95, or in a youth court since 1991/92, within the same province or territory.

The study uses data from the court systems in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Yukon and Northwest Territories. New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia and Nunavut are excluded, as time series data are not available for these jurisdictions.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

Data are collected for all units of the target population, therefore, no sampling is done.

Data sources

Data are collected from other Statistics Canada surveys and/or other sources.

Results are based on a composite file developed from the Youth Court Survey (Survey #3309) and Adult Criminal Court Survey (Survey #3312).

Estimation

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

In order to prevent any data disclosure, confidentiality analysis is done using the Statistics Canada Generalized Disclosure Control System (G-Confid). G-Confid is used for primary suppression (direct disclosure) as well as for secondary suppression (residual disclosure). Direct disclosure occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of or dominated by few enterprises while residual disclosure occurs when confidential information can be derived indirectly by piecing together information from different sources or data series.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.