Prince Albert Court of King's Bench. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

ANGUS REID

Survey shows Saskatchewan residents have less confidence in justice system

Oct 15, 2022 | 9:00 AM

A new survey is painting a picture of how Saskatchewan residents view law enforcement and the justice system.

Over 5,000 people took part in a national Angus Reid survey where they shared their thoughts on how confident they are in their police as well as the provincial court system and the Supreme Court of Canada.

According to the survey, 61 per cent of those polled in Saskatchewan believe crime has increased in their community in the past five years with 32 per cent saying it hasn’t changed.

(Angus Reid Institute)

When it comes to confidence in the justice system, the numbers are not so great. The report from Angus Rei notes that Canada’s courts have not escaped criticism in the past few years.

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“After this year’s stabbings in Saskatchewan, many asked questions as to how individuals with a history of violence such as Myles Sanderson are allowed to be at large with an active warrant,” the report stated.

Survey takers were asked how much confidence they have in RCMP, their local police force, and the provincial and federal court systems.

Just 31 per cent of those polled in Saskatchewan said they had confidence in the provincial courts. About 53 per cent said they were confident in the work of their local police or RCMP detachment.

The survey noted however that national confidence in the RCMP has dropped in the last five years from a high of 62 per cent to currently sitting at 47 per cent.

“Confidence has been diminishing precipitously since then,” the report reads. “Claims of racism in the ranks, $200 million in sexual assault claim settlements, and an inquiry into a mass shooting response in Nova Scotia which the RCMP’s lawyer argued was ‘far from perfect’, have contributed to drive confidence in the force down 19 points over the past six years.

When it came to positive outlooks on criminal courts, Quebec had the highest confidence rating with 52 per cent and 65 per cent confident in the provincial police force.

You can read the whole survey on the Angus Reid website.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock