Overview: Responding to A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada's Black Justice Strategy
This Implementation Plan (“the Plan”) is the Government of Canada’s response to the report of the external Steering Group (the “Steering Group”) for Canada’s Black Justice Strategy, A Roadmap for Transformative Change: Canada's Black Justice Strategy (“the Report”). The Report is an historic and important document that sets out recommendations to combat anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination that has led to the overrepresentation of Black people in the criminal justice system, including as victims of crime.
It is important to understand what is in the Report in order to put the Plan in proper context.
The Report recommends changes that involve a fundamental shift in how we see criminal justice in Canada. One that recognizes how challenges in other social systems increase the risk of criminal justice system involvement. This shift also recognizes that a holistic approach is necessary prevent and reduce crime and to ensure that the criminal justice system can effectively respond to crime, to better protect all people in our society.
The Report sets out Principles and Priority Areas to guide the work toward change. The Report makes 114 recommendations in total. Eight of them provide mechanisms so that Black communities can keep the Government of Canada accountable. The remaining recommendations are categorized under five pillars that inform Black people’s experiences with the criminal justice system:
- Pillar 1: social determinants of justice (recommendations 9 to 33) addresses employment and income, housing, education, health and mental health, child welfare, and immigration and settlement
- Pillar 2: policing (recommendations 34 to 42) focuses on areas such as racial profiling, diversion, education and training, and oversight and accountability mechanisms
- Pillar 3: courts and legislation (recommendations 43 to 85) includes legislative changes to the Criminal Code, Youth Criminal Justice Act, Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, anti-Black racism training, representation, access to justice, as well as additional diversion programming and a courtworker program
- Pillar 4: corrections (recommendations 86 to 103) primarily focuses on Black-specific programming, practices and policies, and oversight and accountability mechanisms
- Pillar 5: parole, re-entry and reintegration (recommendations 104 to 114) addresses the need for additional and targeted supports, as well as the involvement of community-based organizations in the reintegration process
With its Plan, the Government of Canada is leading efforts to combat anti-Black racism and systemic discrimination in the criminal justice system. It proposes concrete actions through a 10-year commitment that is informed by data, involves Black communities and other levels of government, and recognizes that inaction will result in increased human and economic costs for Canadians. The Plan proposes a number of new and enhanced investments in programs, training, and data disaggregation initiatives which will help reduce the impact of anti-Black racism on Black people’s experiences in the criminal justice system by strengthening institutional knowledge of anti-Black racism and outreach to Black communities. In addition, the Plan supports increased access to Black-specific programs and services, including for Black victims and survivors of crime.
Here are the highlights:
[Pillar 1] to improve the social determinants of justice for Black people in Canada
- Enhancements to business support services and access to capital for Black entrepreneurs and business owners, and improve data on Black entrepreneurship in Canada
- Pilot projects to support Black people experiencing substance use and addictions issues
- Partnerships with community organizations to support the provision of culturally responsive mental health and substance use services for Black people
- The collection of disaggregated race and identity-based data
- Anti-Black racism education and training, including investments to develop new anti-Black racism training for federal public servants to drive culture change
[Pillar 2] to address the state of policing
- Review of RCMP operational policies and practices on crisis intervention and de-escalation to make improvements to national standards in policies and practices
- Improving post-incident reviews
[Pillar 3] to change the Canadian justice system
- Development of Black-specific diversion projects to assist Black youth
- Development of court worker and navigation services to help Black people in contact with the criminal justice system
- Development of supports for Black victims and survivors of crime
- Expansion of the use of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) at other decision points in the criminal justice system other than sentencing
IRCAs are reports that help sentencing judges to better understand how the effects of poverty, marginalization, systemic racism, and social exclusion may have contributed to the life experience of a Black and other racialized individuals’ interactions with the criminal justice system.
[Pillar 4] to reform Canada’s correctional system
- The Black Offender Strategy will better support the specific needs of Black offenders and facilitate their successful rehabilitation, including investments to support the development of culturally responsive services and interventions during incarceration or on conditional release
[Pillar 5] to reduce recidivism and strengthen successful community reintegration
- Measures to better support the successful reintegration of Black offenders into society, including investments for community-based organizations to develop culturally- and gender-responsive services, as well as assist with applications for record suspensions (formerly known as pardons)
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