Summary
This report examines the sentencing patterns of a sample of offenders being monitored by the
Vancouver Police Department’s (VPD) Chronic Offenders Program (COP), and further draws
attention to the issues surrounding the most prolific offenders in Vancouver by highlighting
three case studies. This report analyzes for the first time, the sentences handed down to a
sample of the most chronic offenders over the course of their criminal careers. The vast
majority of Canadians assume that the more frequently an offender is convicted, the longer the
sentence should be, but this does not generally appear to be the case. In fact, evidence shows
that after 30 or more convictions the sentence actually decreases.