Victims of crime pay the real price for unreasonable delays

Murder, sexual assault, drug trafficking – all manner of serious charges are being tossed out in growing numbers because of the Supreme Court of Canada’s brash new test in R. v. Jordan, a raft of judicial vacancies and a culture of delay in the justice system. What should concern us most about this appalling situation is the impact on the victims of these crimes.

An estimated 2.2 million Canadians suffer from violent crime annually. The total cost of crime has been assessed at almost $100-billion a year, with the majority of costs (83 per cent) borne by victims, including medical costs, lost wages, stolen/damaged property, pain and suffering and loss of life.