Infographic: Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System 2024/2025

Confidence in the Canadian Criminal Justice System 2024/2025

Key findings from the 2024/2025 National Justice Survey

Graph – Confidence that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people. 2023 and 2025

The percentage of people who report being confident that the criminal justice system (CJS) is fair and accessible to all people remained similar in 2023 and 2025.^{Footnote 1Footnote 2}

Fair to all people

• Year 2025: 47% not confident; 32% moderately confident; 19% confident
• Year 2023: 48% not confident; 32% moderately confident; 18% confident

Accessible to all people

• Year 2025: 39% not confident; 35% moderately confident; 24% confident
• Year 2023: 40% not confident; 35% moderately confident; 23% confident

The percentage of people who reported being not confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people also remained similar in 2023 and 2025.

Graph - Women^{Footnote 3} are less likely than men to report being confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people

Fair

• Women = 15%
• Men = 23%

Accessible

• Women = 20%
• Men = 28%

Older people are more likely than younger people to report being confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people

Fair

• 18 to 34 years old = 15%
• 35 to 54 years old = 18%
• 55 years and older = 21%

Accessible

• 18 to 34 years old = 18%
• 35 to 54 years old = 24%
• 55 years and older = 28%

Graph - There are differences in the percent of White people and Indigenous people who report being confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people

Fair

• Total Indigenous^{Footnote 4} = 12%
• First Nations =10%
• Inuk (Inuit) ^ = 0%
• Métis = 15%
• White = 20%

Accessible

• Total Indigenous^{Footnote 4} = 19%
• First Nations = 17%
• Inuk (Inuit) ^ = 0%
• Métis = 21%
• White = 24%

Graph - There are some differences in the percentage of people of White people, Black people and racialized people who report being confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people

Fair

• Total racialized groups^{Footnote 5} = 18%
• Black = 19%
• Latino/Latina/Latinx = 17%
• South Asian = 17%
• Middle Eastern or North African = 29%
• East Asian/Southeast Asian = 17%
• White = 20%

Accessible

• Total racialized groups^{Footnote 5} = 25%
• Black = 31%
• Latinx = 20%
• South Asian = 23%
• Middle Eastern or North African = 28%
• East Asian/Southeast Asian = 24%
• White = 24%

Graph - Residents of Quebec are more likely than residents of other regions to report being confident that the CJS is fair and accessible to all people

Fair

• Territories = 2%^
• Quebec = 27%
• Ontario = 16%
• Atlantic = 16%
• Prairies = 17%
• British Columbia = 17%

Accessible

• Territories = 3%^
• Quebec = 32%
• Ontario = 22%
• Atlantic = 24%
• Prairies = 19%
• British Columbia = 22%

What is the National Justice Survey (NJS)?

The NJS is a semi-regular national public opinion research study conducted by Justice Canada since 2009 that collects the views, perceptions and knowledge of people living in Canada on important justice-related issues. The 2025 National Justice Survey was conducted online with 4,218 people aged 18 years and older living in each of Canada’s provinces and territories from February 4 to March 23, 2025. The survey data were weighted to replicate, as closely as possible, the Canadian population, aged 18 years or older by age, gender, region, highest level of education completed, Indigenous identity and ethno-cultural identity using data from the 2021 Census of Population.

References

^ Caution: Small sample size (≤50). Statistical testing not performed when n<30 since statistical assumptions are not met.