Underfunding in the Canadian Criminal Justice System

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Underfunding in the Canadian Criminal Justice System

Underfunding is the greatest Challenge that is faced by the Canadian Criminal Justice System. This paper will discuss the Police Forces aging population and the challenges to replace them when they retire, it will also look at the insufficient quantity of officers needed to investigate all crime. The underfunding of the legal aid program and the effects on the courts and family law will be discussed. Finally the effects of long-term underfunding of the countries prison system and its effects on the most vulnerable inmates will also be measured.

Not Enough Police Officers

Baby Boomers

One of the challenges the Canadian justice system faces is lack of personnel, specifically police officers. The baby boomers are approaching retirement and there experience and sheer numbers will be missed. According to Macleod (2009) half of the senior police officers will be eligible to retire within 5 years. Considering the shrinking labour pool this will make it difficult to replace these officers all at once. Macleod (2009) further states that without doubling or tripling the hiring rate of officers, the police will have to start cutting back some duties they currently perform. Normally 2000 new officers are hired across Canada every year; however by 2012 in order to replace the baby boomers, 5000-6000 will need to be hired. This might be more difficult than it sounds, considering most youth do not seem that interested in policing according to a recent survey of 1521 youths aged 16-27, that found only four percent would think about becoming officers (Macleod, 2009).

The lack of funding and cutting of police budgets has left Canada in a serious dilemma when it comes to ability to deal wi...

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...Weekly: http://www.lawyersweekly.ca/index.php?section=article&articleid=1281

Lunau, K. (2010, March 30). What's the agenda behind the tory prison budget boost? Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Maclean's: http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/03/30/whats-the-agenda-behind-the-tory-prison-budget-boost/print/

Rybak, J. (2009, September 16). Down by law. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Maclean's : http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/03/30/whats-the-agenda-behind-the-tory-prison-budget-boost/print/

Macleod, I. (2009, November 13). Canada needs more police officers, says policing council boss. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Canada.com: http://www.canada.com/Canada+needs+more+police+officers+says+policing+council+boss/2221364/story.html

Wallace, M. (2008). Police reported crime statistics in Canada, 2008. Retrieved December 02, 2010, from Statistics Canada Catalogue no.85-002-X.

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