Province’s criminal justice system best in Canada

Supporting Island families -

For the second year in a row, Prince Edward Island’s criminal justice system is the best in the country.

According to the MacDonald-Laurier Institute’s second-annual Justice System Report Card, the province is No. 1 in Canada based on key indicators like crime rates, police performance, and time to trial.

“The efficiency of Prince Edward Island’s criminal justice system is a testament to Islanders working in law enforcement, public safety, the courts and legal services, corrections, and victims' and community organizations,” said Justice and Public Safety Minister Jordan Brown. “Our province’s small size enables us to focus on the things that matter most, such as keeping each other safe. I thank all those who work in our justice and public safety system for their dedication and diligence.”

The report cites the following facts.

• Prince Edward Island has the lowest violent crime rate and one of the lowest property crime rates in the country, both of which have declined significantly since 2012.
• The province has the lowest rate of failure to comply with court orders of anywhere in Canada.
• The public perception of police performance is very high, specifically in ensuring safety, satisfaction with public safety, supplying information, being approachable, being fair, and responding promptly.
• Victims in the province receive – on average – one of the highest proportions of restitution orders in Canada, which reflects a greater level of potential support for victims as they are receiving funds to cover losses and damages caused by criminal incidents.
• the province has a relatively efficient justice system; it has the shortest median criminal case length (37 days) and the fewest number of accused persons on remand per 1,000 crimes of any jurisdiction in Canada. It also has relatively few cases stayed or withdrawn (23.1 percent)

“In addition to the good work being done by our criminal justice system, the provincial government is investing in early frontline supports for vulnerable children by collaborating with other government departments, police agencies, and community-based organizations to better meet the needs of families and communities,” Minister Brown added. “We will continue to improve supports for vulnerable Islanders through initiatives like the Bridge, the children's lawyer, supervised access and exchange, parenting coordination and alternative dispute resolution, and improvements to the maintenance enforcement program. We will also continue to work with our partners to support culturally sensitive justice programs like the MCPEI's Indigenous Justice Program and community-based justice programming and projects.”

Media contact:

Katie MacDonald
katiemacdonald@gov.pe.ca