Criminal Justice
The Department of Justice is committed to helping keep Canadian families safe and secure, while supporting victims of crime. We work with organizations in communities across the country to address victims' needs and to help youth who are in conflict with the law. The Department also monitors trends in criminal law and develops options for law reform.
Services and information
About the criminal justice system review
The Government of Canada has completed a broad examination of Canada’s criminal justice system.
Canada’s State of the Criminal Justice System
The Department of Justice Canada created the first performance monitoring framework for Canada’s criminal justice system in 2019.
Reducing Delays and Modernizing the Criminal Justice System
Following careful review and passage by Parliament, legislation (former Bill C-75) to modernize the criminal justice system and reduce delays received Royal Assent on June 21, 2019.
Restorative Justice
Restorative justice refers to “an approach to justice that seeks to repair harm by providing an opportunity for those harmed and those who take responsibility for the harm to communicate about and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime.”
Youth Justice
The youth justice system affects individuals between the ages of 12 and 17 who get into trouble with the law.
Victims
The Policy Centre for Victim Issues implements the Federal Victim Strategy the objective of which is to give victims of crime a more effective voice in the criminal justice system.
Family Violence
Family violence is considered to be any form of abuse, mistreatment or neglect that a child or adult experiences from a family member, or from someone with whom they have an intimate relationship.
Canada’s Black Justice Strategy
Developing a Strategy to address systemic discrimination and the overrepresentation of Black people in Canada’s criminal justice system.
Criminal Conviction Review
You may apply for a criminal conviction review by the Minister of Justice if you believe there has been a miscarriage of justice or a wrongful conviction and you meet the criteria set out in the Criminal Code.
Human Trafficking
The Department of Justice works with partners to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute offenders.
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
The Department of Justice works with partner organizations to deny safe haven in Canada to individuals who may have been either directly involved in or cooperated with others in the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
Cannabis laws and regulations
About cannabis, process of legalization, cannabis in provinces and territories, driving laws.
Impaired Driving Laws
Impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada.
Medical Assistance in Dying
Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) law seeks to respect personal autonomy for those seeking access to MAID, while at the same time protecting vulnerable people and the equality rights of all Canadians.
National Security
The Department of Justice works with other departments and agencies to protect national security and combat terrorism by providing legal advice to the Government and developing policy and laws on national security issues.
Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance
The Department of Justice, through the International Assistance Group (IAG), assists Canadian and foreign police and prosecutors by extraditing people to face prosecution or sentencing in the country in which they are charged or convicted.
Bail laws in Canada
Learn more about how Canada’s bail system works, and amendments made to the bail system in Canada in 2023.
Cybercrime
Cybercrime includes crimes that target computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices or computer data or uses technology to commit crimes.
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