Preamble: There is a growing trend by our judiciary to award double and triple credit for time served to offenders for pre-sentence custody. This has a negative effect on victims of crime and lessens the effectiveness of sentencing.

WHEREAS most judges in Canada (including Ontario) grant offenders double credit for time spent in pre-sentence custody; and

WHEREAS double credit for time spent in pre-sentence custody is seriously clogging the justice system in Ontario; and

WHEREAS some remand accused have determined that there is an advantage to be gained by spending more time on remand, meaning less time spent serving a sentence; and

WHEREAS double credit for time spent in pre-sentence custody of calls into question the meaningfulness of a sentence that is imposed.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Canada to amend the Criminal Code to end the common practice of automatically giving two-for-one remand time.

Resolution source:
Deputy Chief K. Leendertse, Chair, OACP Victim Assistance Committee