Race-Based Data and the Collection of Demographic Information within the CRCC and NSIRA

Full Report [PDF, 1.6MB]

Dr. Scot Wortley, PhD, Professor, Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies
Dr. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Jessica Bundy, Doctoral Candidate, Centre for Criminology and Sociolegal Studies
Storm Jeffers, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Sociology

University of Toronto

Summary

Over the past several decades, criminologists have become increasingly interested in how race, gender, age, social class, and other civilian characteristics may impact the delivery of policing services.

As such, there has been renewed discussion about the collection of demographic information on those who interact with law enforcement officials and the broader criminal justice system. The objective of this report is to provide the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP (CRCC) and the National Security Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA) with the information, recommendations, and tools needed to potentially develop a high quality, state-of-the-art strategy for collecting race-based and other demographic data within their respective organizations.

Specific report objectives include: 

• 1) The identification of the potential uses (benefits) and misuses (consequences) of race-based data;
• 2) The identification of current data limitations within the CRCC and NSIRA;
• 3) The identification of both domestic and international best practices with respect to the collection, analysis, dissemination ,and retention of race-based data;
• 4) The identification of organizational challenges that may impact the collection of race-based data within the CRCC and NSIRA; and
• 5) The development of specific recommendations for the collection, analysis and dissemination of race-based and demographic data within the CRCC and NSIRA.

The report also explores the extent to which the collection of race-based data within the CRCC and NSIRA will improve transparency and potentially increase community trust and confidence in the complaints process, the RCMP and Canada's national security agencies.