Race and Criminal Justice in Canada

The relationship between race and crime has long been a subject of study in the United States; however, such analysis is more recent in Canada. A major factor impeding such study is the fact that racial/ethnic data are not routinely collected and available in Canada, unlike the United States. The collection of such data would arguably undermine the multi-cultural mosaic of Canada as a place of acceptance and tolerance. However, the lack of such data bellies research suggesting that race plays a role in the Canadian criminal justice system. Using available, albeit, limited research studies and their data, the role of race is evident throughout the justice system. Thee findings of this study are placed within a theoretical context emphasizing structural sources of differential treatment in the Canadian justice system. It may be time for Canada to recognize the fact that race plays a role in the justice system and formally collect and document the nature and extent of its role.