Press Release
November 14, 2024
Lheidli T’enneh Territory, Prince George, BC: The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) is pleased to announce that a new pre-charge diversion pilot program in Prince George is in the initial stages of development with financial support through Public Safety Canada’s Northern and Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund (NICPF).
The NICPF supports the adaptation, development, implementation and evaluation of innovative and promising culturally sensitive crime prevention practices and promotes community safety approaches in Indigenous communities both on and off-reserve and in the North.
The Prince George Pilot Program was designed with funding from the BC Ministry of Attorney General following a recommendation of the final investigative report into repeat offending and unprovoked attacks released by the Province in 2022. The pilot program aims to interrupt the escalating interactions that vulnerable Indigenous individuals have with law enforcement in Prince George and move towards a culturally sensitive crime prevention model that emphasizes traditional healing, long-term social work case management, and empowerment.
The vision of the pilot program is to advance the presumption of diversion (as articulated in the BC First Nation Justice Strategy) to divert individuals at the point of contact with police who may be experiencing unmet mental health and addictions needs, and housing and income insecurity. Diverted from the usual criminal justice sequence (i.e., charge, prosecution, incarceration, etc.), those who will access the pilot program will instead have rapid access to supportive services and be connected to a social worker over the long term. Where the necessary community-based supports do not exist, BCFNJC will use its tripartite partnership with British Columbia and Canada to identify gaps and find solutions outside the criminal justice system. This approach aims to help break cycles of reoffending, support and protect at-risk individuals, and ensure culturally appropriate, trauma-informed responses are supporting the healing pathways of Indigenous communities.
With the support and partnership of Public Safety Canada, BCFNJC is pleased to pilot a new direction for public safety and policing, grounded in Indigenous ways of healing that recognize the root causes of crime. The project team is currently engaging with the Lheidli T’enneh Nation, surrounding First Nations, urban Indigenous communities, and other local Indigenous groups to ensure the pilot respects their protocols and is informed by community needs. BCFNJC’s goal is not to replace existing community services, but to support the community’s capacity to meet its diversion needs in a culturally appropriate manner.
Consultation is also currently underway with the Lheidli T’enneh ‘Atsiyan Ink’E ‘Atsoo Elders Society to ensure that the Prince George Pilot Program carries a meaningful and powerful name that is reflective of the territory on which this important diversion work will take place.
“In partnership with Public Safety Canada, BCFNJC is excited to initiate the Prince George Pilot Program, which will transform how we treat and care for Indigenous people experiencing housing insecurity, poverty, and unmet mental health and addictions needs. We know that police use of force is not an appropriate or effective response to people in crisis, with police encounters often leading to harmful and costly entanglements with the legal system. The pilot program will instead divert people in need to culturally appropriate services in the community. This program will advance diversion, but it requires bold and courageous collaboration from Rightsholders, community service providers, and policing partners alike. We are ready to do this long overdue work in BC, which has proven successful in other jurisdictions nationally and internationally.” – Kory Wilson, BCFNJC Chair.
“The Northern Indigenous Crime Prevention Fund is an important initiative that can foster promising solutions to the challenges faced by our Indigenous communities. I am pleased that it is supporting this pilot program, which can offer insight to support communities across the country.” – the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
Quick Facts
About the BCFNJC
The BC First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) was created by the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Summit, and the Union of BC Indian Chiefs who together form the First Nations Leadership Council (FNLC). BCFNJC represents BC First Nations on justice-related issues to bring about transformative change to the legal system. BCFNJC is guided by the unique and comprehensive BC First Nations Justice Strategy (the Strategy) which was jointly developed by the BC First Nations Justice Council, BC First Nations communities and the Province of British Columbia. The Strategy advances 25 individual strategies along two tracks of change: reforming the current criminal justice system and restoring Indigenous justice systems, legal traditions, and structures.
Today, BCFNJC is a dynamic, expanding non-profit organization that is making a powerful, enduring mark on the justice landscape. Guided by the vision and voices of Indigenous leadership, including our Elders and Knowledge Keepers, we employ over 150 people with diverse professional, cultural, and community expertise who are working hard to implement the Justice Strategy and advance Indigenous self-determination over justice. With the direction and support of First Nations communities, work will continue to transform the mainstream colonial justice system and champion innovative, Indigenous-led justice solutions. Visit Tracking Justice for more information.
Media Contact:
BC First Nations Justice Council
Natalie Martin (she/her)
Director of Communications
778-795-0582
natalie.martin@bcfnjc.com
Media Contact:
Public Safety Canada
Media Relations Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657
media@ps-sp.gc.ca
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