Research & community awareness

Justice Data
Modernization
Initiative.

Improving how justice data is collected and used — to understand and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous, Black, and racialized people in Canada’s justice system.

Explore the objectives See the YAAACE study
Launched through the federal Budget
2021
Federal bodies leading the work
2
Core components
3
Justice Data Modernization Initiative — a study of YAAACE programming.
Justice Data Modernization Initiative Department of Justice Canada & Statistics Canada
In partnership with IPSOS and YAAACE

01 / Definition & context

Why modernize
justice data?

The Justice Data Modernization Initiative (JDMI) improves the collection and use of disaggregated data to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous, Black, and racialized people in the criminal justice system.

Led by Justice Canada and Statistics Canada, it was created as part of Budget 2021 investments in a more equal Canada. It recognizes that involvement with the justice system is often influenced by broader social factors — education, economic opportunity, health, community supports, and experiences of discrimination.

Because of that, the initiative invests in research that helps identify the programs, supports, and interventions that contribute to positive outcomes for youth and communities.

Disaggregated data is data that has been divided into smaller groupings, often based on population characteristics — supporting fair and inclusive decision-making.

Department of Justice Canada Justice Data Modernization Initiative

02 / Objectives

What the initiative sets out to do.

The JDMI aims to give decision-makers and communities the evidence they need to prevent crime and victimization and to reduce overrepresentation — with action that reaches beyond the justice system.

2021

Launched through the federal Budget

Origin

Created as part of Budget 2021 investments in a more equal Canada.

2

Federal bodies leading the initiative

Justice Canada · Statistics Canada

Working alongside provinces, territories, and community partners.

3

Core components driving the work

Research · Measurement · Collaboration

Commissioned research, a national measurement framework, and community-led study.

Summarized from the Department of Justice Canada’s Justice Data Modernization Initiative page.

What the initiative aims to achieveThe objectives set out by Justice Canada
Better data and evidence

Provide governments and communities with stronger data and evidence on the programs and policies that prevent crime and victimization and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous, Black, and racialized people.

Collaborative, tailored action

Support cross-sectoral, collaborative, and tailored action that invests in people and communities, rather than relying on the justice system alone.

Action beyond the justice system

Recognize that action within the criminal justice system alone is not enough, and that involvement with the system is shaped by broader social factors such as education, economic opportunity, health, and experiences of discrimination.

Why disaggregated data mattersThe kind of data at the centre of the work
What disaggregated data is

Disaggregated data is data that has been divided into smaller groupings, often based on population characteristics. It supports fair and inclusive decision-making.

A long-standing gap

The initiative responds to a long-standing need for more disaggregated data and innovative research to inform policy responses to overrepresentation.

Measuring progress

Statistics Canada is working with federal, provincial, and territorial governments and other stakeholders on a national framework for measuring overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, so progress can be monitored over time.

03 / How it works

Three components,
one approach.

The work is carried out through research, measurement, and collaboration.

Justice Canada and Statistics Canada lead complementary streams, and external researchers and community-led organizations shape the work so it reflects the people it is meant to serve.

  1. Research & Statistics Division

    Research led by Justice Canada

    Commissions and conducts research on overrepresentation, including the role that social sectors, governments, and communities can play in supporting well-being and reducing criminalization.

    • Commissioned research
    • Overrepresentation
    • Prevention & well-being

  2. National framework

    Measurement led by Statistics Canada

    Works with federal, provincial, and territorial governments and other stakeholders on a national framework for measuring overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, in order to monitor progress.

    • National framework
    • FPT collaboration
    • Monitoring progress

  3. Community partnership

    Collaborative, community-led research

    Carried out with external researchers, academics, and organizations led by Indigenous, Black, and racialized communities, so the work reflects many perspectives and lived experience.

    • Community-led orgs
    • Academics
    • Lived experience

04 / Community research

A study of YAAACE
programming.

As part of the JDMI’s goal of understanding what contributes to positive outcomes for youth and communities, Statistics Canada, Justice Canada partnered with IPSOS and YAAACE to explore the outcomes and impacts of YAAACE programming and to identify approaches for measuring them over time.

The partnership

Linking programming
to long-term outcomes.

An approved Statistics Canada microdata-linkage project links YAAACE participant information with policing, criminal court, corrections, and demographic data to assess socioeconomic outcomes and subsequent interactions with the criminal justice system.

  • Justice CanadaLead
  • Statistics CanadaData linkage
  • IPSOSResearch partner
  • YAAACECommunity partner

What’s being linked

Microdata-linkage project
  • YAAACE participant informationProgram participation
  • Policing dataContact with police
  • Criminal court dataCourt proceedings
  • Corrections dataCustody & supervision
  • Demographic dataSocioeconomic outcomes

05 / Partners & approach

Who is involved,
and how.

The initiative brings together federal partners, provinces and territories, and community-led organizations, and draws on both in-house and external research.

  1. Justice Canada — Research & Statistics Division

    Leads the initiative, commissions and conducts research, and summarizes findings to support evidence-based policy, programs, and legislation.

  2. Statistics Canada

    Develops the national framework for measuring overrepresentation and carries out approved microdata-linkage projects.

  3. Federal, provincial & territorial governments

    Collaborate on shared measurement and on cross-sectoral action that reaches beyond the justice system.

  4. Community-led organizations

    Indigenous, Black, and racialized community organizations help shape and carry out research so it reflects lived experience.

  5. In-house research

    Conducted by Research & Statistics Division researchers inside the Department of Justice.

  6. External research

    Conducted by contracted specialists, including academics, community-based researchers, and legal experts, to draw on many perspectives.

06 / Wider research

Part of a wider body
of justice research.

The JDMI sits within the work of the Research & Statistics Division.

The Division supports evidence-based decisions on justice issues, summarizing its findings in reports and data products. These are published and open to all.

Dashboard & reports

State of the Criminal Justice System

A comprehensive analysis of how Canada’s criminal justice system is performing.

Visit (opens in a new tab)

07 / Read further

Go straight
to the source.

Explore the official pages and data behind the initiative. Research questions can be directed to the Research & Statistics Division at rsd-drs@justice.gc.ca.

Department of Justice Canada

Justice Data Modernization Initiative

The initiative’s official page, including its objectives and components.

Department of Justice Canada · opens in a new tab

Department of Justice Canada

Justice Research and Data

The Research & Statistics Division’s research, reports, and data products.

Department of Justice Canada · opens in a new tab

Dashboard & reports

State of the Criminal Justice System

Data and reporting on how Canada’s criminal justice system is performing.

Department of Justice Canada · opens in a new tab

Statistics Canada

Crime and Justice Statistics

National statistics on crime and the justice system.

Statistics Canada · opens in a new tab

Source material: the Justice Data Modernization Initiative and Justice Research and Data pages, Department of Justice Canada. This page summarizes their content and links to the official sources. The YAAACE study detail reflects an approved Statistics Canada microdata-linkage project described in YAAACE’s programme records.