B.C.'s criminal justice system

The criminal justice system is a foundation of Canadian society. It plays an important part in maintaining a just, peaceful and safe society. It does this by maintaining public safety, enforcing laws and protecting people’s rights.

Some key goals of the criminal justice system include:

• Preventing crime
• Protecting the public
• Supporting victims of crime, their families and witnesses 
• Holding people responsible for crimes they have committed
• Helping offenders to return to the community and become law abiding members of the community

British Columbia is working hard to ensure the right information and services are available for people who become involved with the criminal justice system in B.C.

There are many reasons you may be interested in learning more about our criminal justice system. No matter the reason, these webpages are designed to help you access the resources and services that are most important to you.