Jaku Konbit’s engagement methodology
Census data (2021) indicates that Ottawa-Gatineau has the third largest Black population in the country, behind only Montreal and Toronto. At least 114,230 people in the region identify as Black, representing 7.8% of Ottawa-Gatineau.Footnote 2 Although nearly half of the province’s Black population was born in Canada, Black immigrants in Ontario come from 150 different countries. About 50% were born in the Caribbean, with Jamaica (33.9%) as the leading source country. Jamaican was also the most frequently reported origin of those born in Canada. Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Somalia, Ghana, and Ethiopia were the five other most commonly reported countries for Black immigrants.Footnote 3
On average, the Black population is younger than the total population in Canada. In 2021, the median age for the Black population was 30.2 years. Over 25% of the Black population is under 15 years old, while they represent 16.5% of the total population. At the other end of the age spectrum, 7.4% of the Black population is 65 years and over, less than the national average. Given this diversity, Jaku Konbit took a multi-pronged approach to ensure we captured as many perspectives as possible.
Jaku Konbit’s communication and outreach included:
- a press release in Canada’s official languages;
- branded posters and graphical renditions of various electronic and printed sizes;
- social media outreach (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn);
- direct email via Mail Chimp to a custom-cultivated 600-plus-address mailing list, and
- direct phone calls as well as follow-up phone calls as necessary.
To include those who hold various family and societal duties, Jaku Konbit endeavoured to engage the community in person and virtually. For example, Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Sundays were viewed as days with few participants depending on their faith. Similarly, having a space for prayers was also necessary. Participants and hosts/facilitators received financial compensation.
We sent invitations to a 125-person sample size along the following categories:
- 25 Black youth who were victims or had some form of interaction with the criminal justice system or someone who has interacted with police;
- 20 Black adults who have some interactions with the justice system;
- 20 Black police officers who work within the correctional services;
- 20 Black lawyers who work within the justice space;
- 25 Professional service providers (social workers, correctional workers) who work with youth and families dealing with the justice system; and,
- 15 agencies and community partners who provide support to youth and families.
Additionally, Jaku Konbit identified national capital region community-based organizations – agencies and community partners to participate in our community consultation processes. They include:
- Youth Services Bureau
- BGC Ottawa - Boys and Girls Club - Ottawa Community Youth Diversion Program
- African Canadian Association of Ottawa
- Pinecrest Queensway Health Community Centre
- Children Aid Society of Ottawa
- Muslim Family Service of Ottawa
- Le Regroupement Ethnoculturel des Parents Francophones de l'Ontario est un organisme
- Africa Development Network (Francophone)
- North-South Development Roots and Culture Canada
- Somali Centre for Family Services
- Somerset West Health Community Centre
- BIA Media /ABEPOG - Association of Black Entrepreneurs of Ottawa-Gatineau
- Justice for Abdirahman
- Correctional Officers
- John Howard Society
- Youturn Youth Support Service
- Black Professional Network
- Youth Evolution Mentoring
- AfriCanadian Searchers
- Suradway Parents’ Association of Ottawa
- The Therapeutic Guide
- Jamaican Ottawa Association
- Umoja Black Community Engagement Program - Carleton University
We used three engagement modes:
- Online survey;
- Roundtables: Jaku Konbit developed customized discussion questions for focus groups (15 - 20 persons in each group);
- Key Informant Interviews: The host organizations and Jaku Konbit conducted follow-up interviews with up to 10 people in person or on the phone.
We led sessions in person and online. Individuals unable to attend a group session could complete the online survey. Our engagement in the Ottawa-Gatineau region reached 100 participants through:
- 5 in-person group sessions
- 1 virtual/online group session
- Completion of 34 online surveys
- Interviews with 8 community organizations
The following graphs pertain to demographic data for participants who completed the online survey only.
Figure 1 - Text version
34 responses
- Black Youth 16 years or older who have had relevant interactions with CJS (20.6%)
- Black family members/friends of Black individuals with relevant interact…. (14.7%)
- Black adults who have had relevant interactions with the CJS (28.5%)
- Black police officers who work withi… (17.6%)
- Black lawyers who work within the… (1%)
- Professional Service Providers ( soc…) (8.8%)
- Students who are involved in Black Stu…(8.8%)
Figure 2 - Text version
34 responses
- Interaction with police/law enfor… 23 (67.6%)
- Being charged with a crime 5 (14.7%)
- Being convicted of a crime 5 (14.7%)
- Going to jail or prison 1 (2.9%)
- Dealing with immigration autho… 2 (5.9%)
- Being the victim of a crime 4 (11.8%)
- Being a witness in court 3 (8.8 %)
- Experiencing a hate crime 6 (17.6%)
- Working in the justice system (… 6 (17.6%)
- Attempting to work in the justice… 3 (8.8%)
- Working in social services or fr… 10 (29.4%)
Figure 3 - Text version
34 responses
- Yes (44.1%)
- No (55.9%)
Analyzing the data
Following each engagement session, facilitators and interviewers prepared a report submitted to the Jaku Konbit Research Team. The reports included responses to the engagement questions provided in Canada’s Black Justice Strategy (CBJS) Framework and information about the session (such as, number of participants, language, observations, etc.). Online surveys were completed and compiled using Google Forms. We used open-ended questions to allow participants to express how they truly felt. Facilitators documented responses to ensure accuracy in representing the participants' views.
The Research Team identified how Black communities in the Ottawa-Gatineau region perceive Canada’s justice system, their assumptions and concerns about their treatment when interacting with the system, and their ideas for how to address systemic barriers and improve the delivery of justice services and programs. We reviewed existing research to help ascertain how the ideas and suggestions from the participants may apply to reforms and fixes to Canada’s justice system. For the CBJS Framework’s pillars (Social Determinants of Justice, Policing, Courts and Legislation, Corrections, Reintegration and Re-entry), a recurring theme was the apparent lack of respect for Black communities from members of the justice system and that a history of colonialism, racial biases, power dynamics were contributing to over-policing and excessive use of force, over-criminalization and over-incarceration of Black Canadians.
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