Revisiting leniency: An intra-provincial study of sentencing variation in British Columbia

The Canadian public is known to hold the belief that sentences for criminal offences are too lenient and this perspective is said to be magnified in the province of British Columbia. Despite these sentiments, recent research on Canadian sentencing patterns has demonstrated considerable evidence that British Columbia is no more lenient or harsh compared to other Canadian provinces. It is possible, however, that public concern about leniency in the courts stems not from a provincial comparative framework but, rather, a more local relative perspective. Given this proposition, there are a number of pressing research questions that may be posed. Does sentencing for specific offences vary by court jurisdiction in British Columbia? I f so, is the variation statistically significant? Do certain courts consistently sentence more leniently or harshly than others? This article advances a comprehensive research design to explore intra-provincial patterns of sentencing and respond to these questions. Analysis of a comprehensive dataset of prison sentences handed down in Provincial Courts in the province reveals that while there are many statistically significant differences between courts, few consistent patterns emerge. As a result, there is little evidence of leniency between court jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]