The work of the Criminal Law Policy Branch can be grouped into the following three areas:

We provide policy, practical and legal advice to Crown counsel to assist them in the day-to-day exercise of their discretion in individual cases.  This is done through the drafting and revision of the Ontario Crown Policy Manual, which consists of Attorney General Polices, Practice Memoranda, and Confidential Legal Memoranda.  The Crown Policy Manual covers an extensive range of issues, such as:

• Bail
• Child abuse
• Charge screening
• DNA Data Bank orders
• Firearms prosecutions
• Publications bans
• Youth justice.

Although the federal government has responsibility for the criminal law, the provinces have an important consultative role to play in the reform of the criminal law given their responsibility for the prosecution of criminal offences and the administration of justice. 

The Criminal Law Policy Branch has the lead for the Ministry in this federal/provincial/territorial (FPT) consultative process.  We provide legal, policy and strategic advice to the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General (DAG), and the Assistant Deputy Attorney General - Criminal Law Division (ADAG – CLD) in connection with that process.  We also provide representation on behalf of Ontario at regular meetings of FPT officials.  When reforms are enacted, we provide leadership and support to Ontario’s prosecution service to implement those changes.  We are also responsible for coordinating Ontario’s participation in the Criminal Section of the Uniform Law Conference of Canada. 

We are responsible for providing advice and assistance to the Attorney General, DAG, and ADAG - CLD in relation to provincial policy or legislative initiatives concerning or affecting the criminal justice system in Ontario.  Some examples are Domestic Violence Courts, the Bail Safety Program (a collaborative program involving the Crown, the Victim/Witness Assistance Program and police that aims to enhance domestic violence victim safety through measures taken at the pre-bail stage), and Youth Justice Committees (a multi-site restorative justice initiative bringing together an accused young person, the parent(s) and the victim, together with a trained member of the community).