Justice

The Province's partnerships with Indigenous justice organizations, communities and people have led to the creation of programs, services and policies that help meet the needs of indigenous offenders and victims of crime.

Aboriginal Justice Strategy

The Aboriginal Justice Strategic Plan - 2012 to 2016 addresses the Aboriginal Justice Strategy's vision of a justice system that responds to the holistic needs of Indigenous people and their communities, and implements justice initiatives that are based on culture and owned by the community.

It addresses the challenges of Indigenous people in their interactions with the criminal justice system and responds to the overrepresentation of Indigenous people as both victims of crime and offenders. It includes a number of efforts:

• Improving the relationships and understanding between the Corrections Branch, justice officials and indigenous people and their communities
• Enhancing the effectiveness of programs and services for Indigenous offenders
• Being responsive to the justice needs identified by Indigenous communities

The Aboriginal Justice Strategic Plan focuses on:

• Reducing crime and victimization
• Alternative measures
• Sentencing circles and peacemaking
• Mediation and arbitration in family and civil cases
• The court justice program

Read more about

• The Aboriginal Justice Strategy

Justice B.C. Services

• Services from Justice B.C.
• Guide to Indigenous Organizations and Services in B.C.

Counselling

• Native Courtworker and Counselling Association B.C. assisting with:
  • Alcohol and drug abuse
  • Family and youth
  • Criminal justice system
  • Community outreach
  • Training and workshops

Education & Resources

• Community-based Indigenous Justice Strategy Programs
  • Justice Institute - Centre for Aboriginal Programs and Services
  • Justice Education Society - Programs and Resources for Aboriginal Peoples

Victim Support

• VictimLINK
  A multi-lingual (17 North American Indigenous languages) referral service to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support.

Custody, Sentencing & Corrections Support

• B.C. Custody Programs
  Programs and services available to those serving a sentence in a provincial correctional centre. Some are programs specifically for Indigenous people.
• Sentencing or Convicted Offender
  Pre-sentencing Gladue reports for Indigenous offenders. Gladue rights refer to the special consideration that judges must give an Indigenous person when setting bail or during sentencing.

Adult Offender Corrections Support

• Programs and case management approaches
• Regional correctional centres, Community Corrections offices, and head offices in Victoria:
  • Facilities and capital projects
  • Partnerships

Policing in First Nations Communities

• First Nations Policing Policy
• Map of B.C. First Nations communities with enhanced policing (PDF)

Human Trafficking, Missing Persons, Women, Public Inquiries

• Recent public inquiries
• Human trafficking in B.C. information
• Missing Women Working Group Report (Federal 2012)
  (Archive) addressing downtown eastside Vancouver missing women reports and Robert William Pickton case.
  • Compensation Fund: Missing Women Commission of Inquiry
    Available to 98 children of the missing and murdered women.
• A Final Status Update Report in Response to: Forsaken – The Report of the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry – December 2014
• Davies Commission Inquiry into the death of Frank Paul

Child Protection

• Child Protection Mediation Program
  Provides a collaborative way to reach agreement on the best plan for a child’s safety with the help of a specially trained, impartial mediator.
  • Video: An Aboriginal Woman's Experience: Child Protection Mediation

Ministry of Attorney General Articling Program

The Ministry of Justice hires articled students who have a strong interest in public law  to help them to become effective public sector lawyers. One articled position is designated to an Indigenous Canadian law student.

• Articled Student Program