Community justice workshops a national model

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Federal Justice Minister Allan Rock, Saskatchewan Justice Minister John Nilson, and Chief Blaine Favel of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) today announced the development and delivery of community justice workshops for First Nations communities.

The federal government will provide $100,000 and the province $70,000 to the FSIN to develop a workshop curriculum and deliver workshops on community justice to local justice committees and other interested parties in 10 First Nations communities across Saskatchewan.

The workshops will provide information on current justice processes, customary First Nation law and justice practices, family violence and victim issues. Options for community justice services will also be identified and discussed, including public legal education, healing and sentence circles, diversion, mediation, family group conferences and alternate dispute resolution.

"The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to work with First Nations communities and the federal government to foster the development of community-based justice services that focus on restoring the well-being of the victim, offender and community," Nilson said.

"I am very pleased that the federal government, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations are working together to develop community-based justice approaches for First Nations in Saskatchewan," Rick said.

"This initiative is an important step in the development of practices that will benefit both First Nations communities and Canadian society."

"This initiative represents an important step in the development and administration of a First Nation based justice system," Favel said.

"The FSIN will continue working to assist First Nations Bands and Tribal Councils in developing justice institutions which will help heal our people. Our vision of justice reform is one of restoration of offenders and victims with the participation of the community."

First Nation Bands and Tribal Councils with active local justice committees as well as those interested in establishing such committees will be identified to host the three-day workshops, which will be scheduled for the winter and spring of 1996.

The workshops will focus on topics such as the following:

current justice administration processes, including First Nations Policing agreements, the Aboriginal Courtworker Program, court processes, corrections, probation, parole, youth justice programming, victim services, and fine option, restitution, alternative measure and community service order programs;

historical/customary First Nation law and justice practices;

options/models for community justice service delivery, such as healing and sentencing circles, diversion, mediation, family group conferencing, alternate dispute resolution, and other restorative justice/justice as healing approaches;

developing community-based justice services, including needs assessments, crime prevention and community development techniques; and

family violence and victim issues.

The grant will be used to develop this curriculum and employ four trainers to deliver a series of up to three workshops of three days duration to a minimum of 10 Saskatchewan First Nation communities.

A minimum of 10 participants is anticipated for each workshop. The primary audience for the workshops is members of local tribal/community justice committees as well as those potentially interested in participating in such committees.

Given this focus, at least initially, extensive participation by local and regional justice sector officials is not anticipated.

Justice Canada views this initiative as a national model for community justice development training.