Delaying Justice Is Denying Justice: an Urgent Need to Address Lengthy Court Delays in Canada (Final Report), June 2017
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DELAYING JUSTICE IS DENYING JUSTICE An Urgent Need to Address Lengthy Court Delays in Canada Final report of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs The Honourable Bob Runciman, Chair The Honourable George Baker, P.C., Deputy Chair SBK>QB SK>Q June 2017 CANADA This report may be cited as: Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Delaying Justice is Denying Justice: An Urgent Need to Address Lengthy Court Delays in Canada (Final Report), June 2017. For more information please contact us by email [email protected] by phone: (613) 990-6087 toll-free: 1 800 267-7362 by mail: The Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Senate, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0A4 This report can be downloaded at: www.senate-senat.ca/lcjc.asp Ce rapport est également offert en français Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................. 1 Priority Recommendations ....................................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER ONE - INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 9 Canada’s Critical Delay Problem ............................................................................................................... 9 The Committee’s Study ........................................................................................................................... 12 Moving forward ..................................................................................................................................... 14 CHAPTER TWO – UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DELAYS ...................................................................... 15 The Right to be Tried within a Reasonable Time .................................................................................... 16 The Division of Powers ............................................................................................................................ 20 Overview of Criminal Court Statistics ..................................................................................................... 24 Legal Culture and the Causes of Delay .................................................................................................... 31 CHAPTER THREE – LEGAL REMEDIES, REFORMS AND REVISIONS .............................................................. 36 Alternatives to Stays of Proceedings ...................................................................................................... 36 The Criminal Code ................................................................................................................................... 41 Pleas ........................................................................................................................................................ 43 Preliminary Inquiries ............................................................................................................................... 45 Mega-trials .............................................................................................................................................. 49 Mandatory minimum sentences ............................................................................................................. 52 Alternatives in Provincial Offences ......................................................................................................... 56 Official languages .................................................................................................................................... 61 CHAPTER FOUR - JUSTICE REQUIRES THAT WE SUPPORT VICTIMS ............................................................ 64 The Impacts on Victims ........................................................................................................................... 65 Victims’ support and services ................................................................................................................. 70 CHAPTER FIVE - THE JUDICIARY AND COURTHOUSE ADMINISTRATION .................................................... 74 The Role of the Judiciary ......................................................................................................................... 74 Case management .................................................................................................................................. 76 Case Flow Management and Scheduling ................................................................................................ 80 Training of judges and continuing education ......................................................................................... 84 Nomination Process and Appointment of Judges ................................................................................... 86 Judicial Officers ....................................................................................................................................... 92 Technology .............................................................................................................................................. 93 CHAPTER SIX – POLICING AND PROSECUTION ............................................................................................ 96 The Role of Police Officers ...................................................................................................................... 96 Forensic and Crime Scene Analysis ....................................................................................................... 100 Criminal records and the Canadian Police Information Centre ............................................................ 104 Role of Crown Prosecutors ................................................................................................................... 106 The Need for Better Collaboration between Police and Prosecutors .................................................. 111 Disclosure .............................................................................................................................................. 116 CHAPTER SEVEN - THE ACCUSED AND THEIR LEGAL COUNSEL, OR LACK THEREOF ................................. 123 The Role of Criminal Defence Lawyers ................................................................................................. 124 Legal Aid ................................................................................................................................................ 127 Technological solutions ......................................................................................................................... 132 Pre-trial Detention (or Remand) and Bail Hearings .............................................................................. 133 Administration of Justice Offences ....................................................................................................... 138 CHAPTER EIGHT - APPROPRIATE MEASURES: ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE MODEL ...................................................................................................................................................... 142 Mental illness and the Courtroom ........................................................................................................ 145 Prevention ............................................................................................................................................. 150 Diversion and treatment programs ...................................................................................................... 152 The Hub ................................................................................................................................................. 157 Specialized, Therapeutic and Alternative Courts .................................................................................. 159 Restorative Justice ................................................................................................................................ 164 Youth ..................................................................................................................................................... 168 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 170 CHAPTER NINE – OFFENDERS: REHABILITATION AND RECIDIVISM .......................................................... 171 Rehabilitation is Prevention .................................................................................................................. 174 Release and Sentencing Conditions ...................................................................................................... 176 CHAPTER TEN - INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ..................................................................................................... 179 Aboriginal Courtworkers ....................................................................................................................... 183 Sentencing Principles (Gladue) ............................................................................................................. 185 The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada .......................................................................... 187 CHAPTER ELEVEN – NORTHERN TERRITORIES AND REMOTE