Court Site Study of Adult Unrepresented Accused in the Provincial Criminal Courts (Part 2: Site Reports)

Chapter 2: Regina (continued)

2.4 Other types of representation

2.4.1 Prevalence of other types of representation

Figure R-4 uses data from the Disposed Cases sample to calculate the type of representation provided by various types of counsel at each stage of the criminal process. 

Figure R-4. Disposed Cases: By Type of Representation by Appearance, Type, Regina *

Representation at First Three Appearances
Appearance Represented by Total: All Types of Representation (including self)**
Self (%) Legal Aid (%) Private Counsel (%) Appointed Counsel (%)
First appearance 61 17 17 5 5322 (100%)
Second Appearance (if any) 32 43 20 6 6097 (101%)
Third Appearance (if any) 25 46 22 6 5108 (99%)

Representation at Key Stages
Appearance Represented by Total: All Types of Representation (including self)**
Self (%) Legal Aid (%) Private Counsel (%) Appointed Counsel (%)
Bail 72 19 8 1 1288 (100%)
Plea 22 49 22 8 5125 (100%)
Defence Election 9 56 34 2 815 (100%)
Final Appearance 21 50 22 7 6829 (100%)

Notes

The Figure suggests that:

Next, Figure R-5 shows different types of representation at the final appearance, in cases where the most serious offences were charged.[11]  It suggests that:

Figure R-5. Percentage Distribution of Disposed Cases:
Representation Status at Final Appearance by Most Serious Charge Category, Regina*
Most Serious Charge Category Proportion of Cases represented by Number of
Cases
Self Legal
Aid
Private
Counsel
Appointed
Counsele
Homicide 0 69 31 0 16 (100 %)
Sexual Assault 4 56 37 2 91 (99 %)
Assaults excl. Common 14 51 30 5 940 (100 %)
Robbery 6 66 23 5 128 (100 %)
Break and Enter 10 67 20 3 437 (100 %)
Impaired Driving 32 24 36 8 756 (100 %)
Common Assault 23 46 24 7 572 (100 %)
Drugs excl. Simple Possession 11 42 44 2 88 (100 %)
Weapons Offences 17 47 27 9 97 (100 %)
Thefts and Frauds 20 56 15 8 1 293 (99 %)
Simple Possession of Drugs 33 29 35 3 75 (100 %)
Offences against Administration
of Justice
23 55 15 7 1 737 (100 %)
Public Order 26 37 34 3 165 (100 %)
Miscellaneous Criminal Code 34 42 17 6 221 (99 %)
Other Federal Statutes 14 62 16 8 213 (100 %)
Total 21 50 22 7 6 829 (100 %)

Notes
* Excludes cases for which representation at final appearance was unspecified in the file.


[11] The Appendix at the end of this chapter lists the types of individual offences included within each of the offence categories.