Pre-Trial Detention Under the Young Offenders Act: A Study of Urban Courts


TABLE 2.1 - POLICE DETENTION DECISIONS BY COURT LOCATION
Hal/Drt Tor Scar Wpg Edm Van Sur TOTAL
Detained 27.5% 56.0% 47.3% 48.4% 36.6% 79.4% 35.1% 44.5%
Released 72.5% 44.0% 52.7% 51.6% 63.4% 20.6% 64.9% 55.5%
Appearance notice 19.2% 9.1% 9.7% 12.0% 31.0% 7.9% 2.0% 15.8%
Summons 24.0% 0.9% 5.5% 9.8% 9.8% 6.7% 16.2% 11.1%
Promise to appear 5.4% 12.9% 10.9% 10.7% 10.7% 6.6% 1.2% 18.9%
Recognizance 0% 0% 0.6% 0.% 0% 1.2% 8.1% 0.9%
Police undertaking 13.2% 17.7% 26.1% 14.8% 9.6% 0% 12.2% 13.2%
Unknown release type 10.2% 1.3% 0% 2.5% 3.7% 2.4% 6.1% 4.1%
Not applicable 0.6% 2.2% 0% 1.6% 2.7% 1.2% 1.4% 1.5%
Total number of cases 334 232 165 366 407 165 148 1817

Notes:

  1. Chi-square=149.03, df=5, p<.001 (detained versus released by court location).
  2. The forms of release are listed in order of seriousness
  3. A recognizance with or without sureties and deposit is issued when the accused lives out of the jurisdictions.
  4. An undertaking can only be issued by the officer-in-charge and usually contains conditions (see Table 2.2).
  5. Hal/Drt=Halifax/Dartmouth; Tor=Toronto; Scar=Scarborough; Wpg=Winnipeg; Edm=Edmonton; Van=Vancouver;Sur=Surrey.