Criminal charges down overall
Arviat down 50 per cent, but Rankin up 80 per cent
Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services
Monday, May 23, 2016
NUNAVUT
Criminal charges against youths and adults decreased in the territory last year - a trend which has continued since 2013, according to the Nunavut Court of Justice.
The information was released May 19 as part of the justice department's 2015 annual report.
According to the report, 13 communities saw a decrease in charges from 2014 with the largest decline in Arviat where charges were halved from the previous year. Subsequently, 12 communities experienced an increase with the largest jump in Rankin Inlet where charges climbed by nearly 80 per cent from 2014.
The Nunavut Court of Justice case-processing time for both youth and adult matters is one of the lowest in the country despite geographic complexities and ongoing judiciary job vacancies. In Nunavut, there are six positions on the bench. One of two vacancies was filled in 2015. Deputy judges are also employed by the court.
"Comparing Nunavut's processing time nationally, Nunavut is tied for the second fastest processing time in Canada for both adult and youth matters. Nunavut is on par with the Northwest Territories for processing time," the report stated.
"In 2015, the number of deputy judges available to the NCJ (Nunavut Court of Justice) continued to decline because of additional retirements. The active complement of deputy judges decreased to 45."
The Nunavut Court of Justice is the only jurisdiction in Canada with a single-level or unified trial court. Judges hear all matters of the lower provincial courts and the superior courts, including Nunavut Court of Appeal, Nunavut Court of Justice, Youth Justice Court of Nunavut and Justice of the Peace Court.
The justices hear criminal and homicide cases and family and child protection cases along with civil litigation and small claims.
According to the report, the 6,026 criminal charges in 2015 are proportionately distributed based on population levels across the territory.
"Larger communities such as Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, and Rankin Inlet continue to have the most charges laid. Iqaluit accounts for 22 per cent of all criminal charges laid in Nunavut. Iqaluit accounts for 20 per cent of Nunavut's population," states the report.
In the west, the most substantial decreases overall were seen in the largest communities of Cambridge Bay and Gjoa Haven. There were minor increases in the communities of Kugluktuk, Kugaaruk and Taloyoak.
In the Kivalliq, numbers vary from community to community, with Rankin showing odd data.
"Notably, following a significant decrease in 2014, Rankin Inlet saw a significant increase in number of charges laid in 2015, although the numbers have not increased to 2012 levels."
Larger communities such as Iqaluit, Cape Dorset, and Pond Inlet have the most charges laid in the Qikiqtaaluk region. Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet saw the largest increase in charges in 2015.
"In 2015, there were two homicides resulting in one charge laid in Nunavut. This is down from the three homicide charges laid in 2014. The continued reduction in homicides in Nunavut continues the recent trend of a reduction in the homicide rate in the territory."
Nunavut's homicide rate is consistently higher than the national average. In 2014, the rate in Nunavut was 10.93 per 100,000 people, compared to the national rate of 1.45.
However as the report notes, "national statistics for 2015 homicide rates were unavailable so what impact this will have on Nunavut's position nationally in terms of homicide rate is unknown."
For family matters, applications related to Emergency Protection Orders made in the Nunavut Court of Justice under the Family Abuse Intervention Act are down to 59 from 87 in 2014 and 89 in 2013. The earliest date recorded in the report is 2011 when there were 11 applications.
Child protection files initiated under the Child and Family Services Act are also down, with 29 in 2015, compared to 40 in 2014 and 51 in 2013.
In terms of family litigation files, which includes all the files opened regarding child custody and access, child and/or spousal support, division of matrimonial property, inter-jurisdictional support, and maintenance enforcement, there was a steady decrease until 2014. However, in 2015, the amount of files initiated increased significantly back to 2011 levels.
