Improving Justice Outcomes for Indigenous Youth
The Challenge In BC, Indigenous youth continue to experience higher rates of incarcerations and involvement in the child welfare system. Systemic inequalities, rooted in historical and ongoing colonialism, continue to create conditions of unbelonging and disconnection for Indigenous youth and children who feel alienated and unable to access the support of their communities and families. […]
Expanding a Network of Indigenous Justice Centres
The Challenge For many Indigenous people, navigating the colonial justice system is a challenging, isolating, and frustrating experience that can negatively impact all areas of an individual’s life, from mental health to housing and employment. In addition to high rates of incarceration and justice system involvement, Indigenous people experience many challenges in accessing legal supports […]
Systematic Implementation of Gladue Standards Across BC
The Challenge Gladue Principles, or Gladue Rights, address the ways the criminal justice system has failed Indigenous people. Judges must consider the unique circumstances and experiences which may have played a part in bringing an Indigenous person in contact with the law. Gladue Principles apply to every First Nations, Inuit, and Métis person in Canada, […]
Transforming Indigenous Legal Aid Services
The Challenge Legal Aid BC is a provincial Crown Corporation created by the Legal Services Society (LSS) Act in 1979 to provide legal information, advice, and representation services. Currently, most Indigenous people only have access to the legal aid services provided through Legal Aid BC. For many years Indigenous people have advocated for the transformation of legal aid services in […]
Stronger Oversight and Accountability
The Challenge Oversight and accountability in the justice system means that there are reliable, transparent systems of oversight and accountability in place to ensure those who wield significant powers and responsibilities, such as police forces, do not abuse their powers over citizens. It means the public can monitor and scrutinize justice actors to ensure they […]
Strengthening Indigenous Capacity and Legal Services
The Challenge Many Indigenous communities do not have the justice capacity to address critical justice issues, including the growing overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the care of government, as well as Indigenous women and men in state custody. Many Indigenous people also lack access to culturally appropriate responsive legal services. The Solution BC First Nations […]
Upholding the Presumption of Diversion
The Challenge A significant challenge with the existing justice system, as supported by extensive evidence, is that Indigenous individuals experience cycles of escalating interactions with the criminal justice system that are very hard to break and can lead to prolonged incarceration. The presumption of diversion is a core justice value that needs to be entrenched […]
