A Summary of the Angus Reid Group Survey conducted
between May 28 and June 2, 1997

• 1,516 Canadian Adults Surveyed
• plus/minus 2.5% margin of error with 95% confidence
• data is representative of the population's age, sex, and regional characteristics according to the 1996 census.

"What do you feel are the most important problems or concerns in your own community today?"

• 42% of Canadians feel that Unemployment is the most important problem in the community followed by 22% of Canadians who feel Crime/Violence/Gangs is the most important problem. The categories of Education/Schools and Healthcare/Hospitals are both rated as the most important problem by 17% of Canadians. Lastly, the Economy (general) is rated as the most important problem by 10% of Canadians.
• With respect to crime-related issues, 38% of Albertans feel this is the most important problem in the community. More British Columbians (42%) feel that crime is the most important problem in the community. The Canadian average is 22%.

"Over the past 5 years or so, would you say there has been an increase, a decrease, or no change in the amount of crime in your community?"

• 59% of Canadians feel that crime has increased compared to 68% of Canadians in 1994. This reduction in perception between 1994 and 1997 is evident in all regions of Canada. The biggest decrease in the perception of crime is observed in Ontario where, in 1997, 57% of Ontarians feel crime had increased compared to 73% in 1994, a 16% decrease.
• 64% of Albertans feel there has been an increase in crime in the community. This figure has decreased by 5% from 1994 when the same question was asked.
• Of those Canadians who feel crime has increased, 64% were 55+, 64% were female, and 63% had incomes of less than $30,000.

"To what extent do you fear being a victim of crime in your community?"

In the past two years, have you, yourself, been a victim of a crime which involved the police, such as an assault, a car break-in or some other type of crime?"

• Nationally, 25% of Canadians reported being a victim of crime in the past two years. In Alberta, 29% of respondents reported being a victim of crime.

"How much confidence do you have in elements of the Canadian justice system."

• 86% of Canadians are somewhat confident to very confident with their local police. This was followed by 83% of Canadians feeling somewhat confident to very confident with the RCMP. Only 25% of Canadians feel somewhat confident to very confident in the parole system.
• 94% of Albertans feel somewhat confident to very confident in their local police. This is the highest response compared to the other regions in Canada. 81% of the people in Quebec feel somewhat confident to very confident.
• 90% of Albertans feel somewhat confident to very confident in the RCMP. 92% of the people in British Columbia feel somewhat confident to very confident in the RCMP while only 74% of the people in Quebec feel somewhat confident to very confident in the RCMP.
• Albertans have the lowest confidence level in the Courts compared to the other regions in Canada. Only 44% of Albertans feel somewhat confident to very confident in the Courts compared to the national average of 52%. The highest confidence level is in Quebec where 56% of the population are somewhat confident to very confident in the Courts.
• Atlantic Canada has the highest level of confidence in the prison system. 45% of those surveyed in Atlantic Canada are somewhat confident to very confident in the prison system compared to 37% of Albertans. The national average is 42%.
• Compared to the national average (26%) and all other regions of Canada, Quebecers feel a significantly higher confidence level in the Young Offenders Act. 42% of Quebecers are somewhat confident to very confident in the Young Offenders Act. The prairie provinces have the least confidence in the Young Offenders Act with only 13% of Albertans and 12% of residents in Manitoba and Saskatchewan feeling somewhat confident to very confident.
• 25% of Canadians feel somewhat confident to very confident in the parole system. Slightly less Albertans (22%) feel the same way. The highest confidence level is shown in Manitoba/Saskatchewan and Atlantic Canada where 31% of residents feel somewhat confident to very confident in the parole system.

"Broadly speaking, do you support using alternative penalties rather than prison for non-violent offenders or are you against the Canadian justice system moving toward alternative penalties?"

• 85% of Canadians support alternative penalties, 14% do not support alternative penalties, and 1% do not know.
• 81% of Canadians support the use of alternative penalties for personal marijuana use while 63% of Canadians do not support the use of alternative penalties for drunk driving.
• 63% of Canadians support the use of alternative penalties for credit card fraud while 74% of Canadians do not support the use of alternative penalties for arson.
• 85% of Canadians support community service as an alternative to putting offenders in prison. Only 37% of Canadians support early parole as an alternative to prison.

"What do you think should be the single most important goal of having a convicted person spend time in prison?

• 37% of Canadians feel that protecting the public is the most important goal followed by rehabilitating offenders (34%) and punishing offenders (17%). 11% of Canadians rate all three goals equally.