State of the Criminal Justice System Dashboard

Fair and Accessible

Ensuring the criminal justice system is fair and accessible is a core outcome of the criminal justice system. Fairness is defined as being treated according to the rule of law, without discrimination, while also having the circumstances of the crime and a person's individual characteristics considered throughout the process (e.g., past behaviours, lived experiences, history of victimization, mental health and substance abuse issues). Access to the criminal justice system is defined as having equal access to the information and assistance that is needed to help prevent legal issues and help resolve such issues efficiently, affordably, and fairly. This outcome is measured by public perception of fairness and accessibility, use of legal assistance and relevant programs, as well as use of formal complaint mechanisms.

Click on one of the indicators below for information on what the indicator is, why it is important, its limitations, and its geographical coverage. This will also reveal a chart with the data underlying the indicator, which can be exported to a spreadsheet if desired. Select the “measure” drop-down box to see different ways of presenting the data. Many indicators can be further broken down by clicking on other available menus.