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Abstract: 

There has been a steady increase in the numbers of sex offenders in prison since the early 1990s both in North America as well as in England and Wales. In Canada, contributing factors include legislative changes, such as Bill C-127, passed in 1983, and Bill C-26, passed in 2015. Changes imposed by the 2015 legislation include again increasing mandatory minimum sentences and maximum penalties for select sex offenses against children, increasing maximum penalties for court violations, requiring courts to impose consecutive sentences in some cases, and increasing community surveillance of sexual offenders. The outcome of this legislation on incarceration rates of sexual offenders is, as yet, unknown.

Keywords: Sexual offending in Canada, sexual assault levels, Safe Streets and Communities Act, Tougher Penalties for Child Predators Act, Bill C-10, Bill C-127

Affiliations:  1: Memorial University of Newfoundland.