Community-Based Justice Programs

Background on Aboriginal Justice Strategy

The Aboriginal Justice Strategy helps Aboriginal communities to increase involvement in the local administration of justice. The Strategy supports Aboriginal communities in their efforts to provide timely and effective alternatives to mainstream justice processes in appropriate circumstances. Programs funded by the Strategy are working to lower the high rates of victimization, crime and incarceration among Aboriginal people in their communities.

The overall objectives of the Aboriginal Justice Strategy are to accomplish the following:

• contribute to a decrease in the rates of victimization, crime and incarceration among Aboriginal people;
• assist Aboriginal people to assume greater responsibility for the administration of justice in their communities;
• provide better and more timely information about community justice programs funded by the Strategy; and
• reflect and include relevant Aboriginal culture and values within the justice system.

Objectives of the Community-Based Justice Programs

Community-based justice programs continue to be the centerpiece of the Aboriginal Justice Strategy. The Community-Based Justice Programs Fund provides support to community-based justice programs in partnership with Aboriginal communities. Programs are cost-shared with provincial and territorial governments and are designed to reflect the culture and values of the communities in which they are located.

Eligible Programs

Programs eligible for funding may include:

• Programs that help to reduce the rates of crime and incarceration among Aboriginal people in communities with cost-shared programs;
• Programs that help Aboriginal people assume greater responsibility for the administration of justice in their communities;
• Programs that foster improved responsiveness, fairness, inclusiveness, and effectiveness of the justice system with respect to justice and its administration so as to meet the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal people in the areas of appropriate models:
  1. diversion;
  2. the development of pre-sentencing options;
  3. community sentencing alternatives (circles);
  4. the use of Justices of the Peace;
  5. family and civil mediation; and
  6. additional community justice services such as victims support or offender-reintegration services which support the overall goals of the AJS.

Available Funding

Community-based justice funding is limited and potential applicants are strongly encouraged to get in touch with Aboriginal Justice Strategy representatives to discuss project ideas prior to preparing a proposal.

Eligible Applicants

Any of the following may be eligible for contribution funding under the Community-Based Justice Programs component of the fund:

• bands, First Nations, Tribal Councils, local, regional and national Aboriginal organizations;
• agencies and institutions of regional/municipal governments;
• non-profit community organizations, societies, and associations that have voluntarily formed for a non-profit purpose; and,
• provincial and territorial governments (in the case of flow-through agreements).

How to Apply

An application package must be completed and signed by an authorized representative of the organization. In order to be considered in the assessment and recommendation process, both renewing and new applicants must include the following documents in their submitted application packages:

• Proposed Work Plan;
• Proposed Cash Flow;
• Proposed Budget.

New applicants only must also provide:

• Detailed Program Proposal, including: Background, Description of Program, Deliverables, Communication and Evaluation Plan.

How to contact us:

The Aboriginal Justice Strategy
The Aboriginal Justice Directorate
Department of Justice
284 Wellington Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8

Tel: 1-866-442-4468 (toll-free)
Fax: (613) 957-4697
ajs-sja@justice.gc.ca
http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/ajs-sja/index.html

Our Web site is dedicated to providing information on the Aboriginal Justice Strategy for the Department of Justice Canada. If you have a comment, question, or concern that does not pertain to the Aboriginal Justice Strategy, you may wish to forward it to the main address of the Department of Justice Canada, which is available at http://canada.justice.gc.ca/eng/contact.html.

Please note that the Department cannot provide legal assistance, advice, or research to individuals. It provides counsel and legal services only to the government of Canada and to client departments and agencies.