NATIONAL PULSE – Overwhelming support for toughening bail, sentencing
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Most point to lenient justice system, addiction, and mental health issues as main causes of crime
By ANGUS REID INSTITUTE
January 16, 2025 – Canadians increasingly believe crime is rising in their communities and are searching for answers. As the Liberal government proposes measures to toughen sentencing and reform bail conditions, most Canadians are supportive, albeit skeptical, that tangible improvements will come.
New data from the Angus Reid Institute finds broad agreement that Canada is not being tough enough on offenders, with three-in-five saying the country needs stricter approaches to crime (59%) rather than greater emphasis on social supports (32%). Asked about a number of proposed changes the appetite for “toughening up” the sentencing and bail standards is robust.
Some of proposed changes put forth by the Liberals in Bill C-14 include expanding the application of “reverse onus” bail, the accused must argue for the right to release while on trial; requiring consecutive sentences for multiple convictions; banning conditional sentences for those accused of certain sexual offences; and increasing the penalties for organized retail theft. For each, at least three-quarters of Canadians say it is a good idea. These same respondents are divided about whether this suite of changes will reduce crime significantly, but the vast majority say they will help at least a little.
While the current preference appears to be for harsher sentencing, Canadians are alive to the social causes of crime. Asked what they believe are the biggest drivers of this (among the 62% who believe crime is rising) addiction, poverty, and mental illness all feature heavily. That said, the top choice as a major factor is justice system leniency. Three-quarters (73%) say this is a major factor.
For a certain portion of the population, about two-in-five, these personal economic and social factors should not be a consideration in sentencing. A similar number also oppose considering the Gladue principles required in sentencing Indigenous Peoples living in Canada. For the majority, however, these principles and other personal factors should at least play some role in sentencing. This suggests a tension between the perceived necessity of “cracking down” and the broader idea that those who commit crimes may need rehabilitation rather than punishment.
More Key Findings:
- Confidence in provincial criminal courts has fallen to some of the lowest levels seen in a decade. One-in-three (34%) have confidence in their provincial courts, compared to 44 per cent in 2016.
- Confidence in the RCMP registers at 51 per cent, similar to last year (50%).
- CPC and Liberal voters are at odds over the causes of increased crime, with CPC voters far more likely to say the justice system is too lenient (89% vs 56%) and Liberal voters far more likely to say that mental health supports are lacking (69% vs 46%).
ArmchairMayor.ca 
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