Serious Crimes
Tracking how many charges are laid in Provincial Court in response to serious, violent offences helps the Department to monitor when there is a reduction of serious charges. Serious charges can vary based on total amount of crime occurring in the community, related police investigations, and whether alternatives to the criminal justice system are appropriate.
After a period of lower serious crime rates from 2020-2022, serious charges are once again on the rise. There are many underlying causes that contribute to serious crime, meaning responsibility for improving this measure is shared across government.
