Issue 40.1
Editorial by Nancy Wright, Editor-in-Chief
Manitoba Criminal Justice Association’s 2024 Annual Crime Prevention Breakfast
By Mike Cook, MCJA President
The Manitoba Criminal Justice Association’s 2024 Annual Crime Prevention Breakfast, held at the historic downtown Fort Garry Hotel, featured keynote speaker Dr. Bob Chrismas, a retired Winnipeg Police Staff Sergeant and Team Lead for Winnipeg’s Community Safety Team. Addressing downtown and transit violence, Dr. Bob discussed his unit’s progress and expansion plans. The captivated audience of 200+ attendees applauded his dedication, and heartfelt thanks were extended for his commitment to community safety.
Structured Intervention Units and the Independent Advisory Panel. The Limits of Oversight
By Howard Sapers
As discussed in this article by the now former SIU-IAP Chair Howard Sapers, over its three-year mandate the SIU Implementation Advisory Panel (SIU-IAP) independent oversight body has identified persistent solitary-like practices within the Structured Intervention Units (SIU) system designed to replace administrative segregation as a result of legislated changes made by Bill C-83 (2019). The bill’s promise of transformational change has been undermined by the fact that many SIUs operate in former segregation units. In 2021, Senator Kim Pate—a vocal critic of C-83—introduced Bill S-230 (“Tona’s Law”), which aims to incorporate judicial oversight for isolation beyond 48 hours, community-based alternatives, and stronger accountability into the SIU system. The bill was passed in the Senate in December 2024 and awaits approval by the House. According to Sapers, while not all stakeholders agree with every clause of Bill S-230, consensus is growing on the need for corrections reform from a culture of unaccountability to one of legality.
Community Perceptions on Reddit Toward Police Body-Worn Cameras in Canada
By Carson Broda
Imagine a world where every police encounter is recorded, where there is no room for ‘he said, she said’—just cold, hard footage. For years, body-worn cameras (BWCs) have been proposed as the solution to police misconduct, lack of accountability, and public distrust. But do they actually make a difference? And more importantly, how do people feel about them? While policymakers and researchers have debated the issue, another group has been actively discussing it: Reddit users, known for their candid and often unfiltered discussions. A study by the author set out to explore how Reddit users in Canada perceive BWCs and police accountability. The results paint a nuanced picture—BWCs are widely supported, but skepticism toward police remains. Although based on a single Reddit thread, this study offers intriguing insights into Canadian views on BWCs and highlights the need for broader research using Reddit and similar platforms.
Culture of Corrections
By Marcia Parker and Anna Ahenakew
This article is based on a pilot study conducted by and comprising the student-authors’ research and observations in a provincial court and two federal correctional facilities in Saskatchewan: An Indigenous Healing Lodge and a federal Penitentiary. Both the Willow Cree Healing Lodge and the Saskatchewan (aka Prince Albert) Federal Penitentiary are operated by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) under federal guidelines. The Healing Lodge integrates Indigenous culture into all aspects of the facility’s operations, emphasizing holistic support and rehabilitation. In contrast, the penitentiary recalls the colonial retribution system, with its marked lack of culture and support. The authors call for the rapid implementation of the TRC (2015) Calls to Action, especially those related to the creation of enhanced access to healing lodges.
Spoken Word Poem as Testimonial
By Devon Lucky Napope
In a powerful and deeply personal testimonial poem, survivor Devon Lucky Napope—Cree from One Arrow First Nation (Treaty 6) and a Social Work student at First Nations University-recounts his journey from despair to hope and renewal. Once caught in cycles of violence, addiction, and incarceration, Devon stands as a testament to resilience, determined to uplift others. Presented as a spoken poem during a Canadian Studies Seminar (WEFLA-SECAN, 2024), organized by the Universidad de Holguin (Cuba), Devon’s words challenge systems of oppression and embody the strength of Indigenous justice and collective healing.
Review of Benjamin Perrin’s Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial (UTP, 2023)
By Holly Wood
Perrin’s Indictment provides a gripping, critical, and realistic analysis of the Canadian Criminal Justice System (CJS). He uses a victim-centred lens to implore readers to listen and act. For instance, Perrin delves into the intersection of gender, culture, race, mental health, and adverse childhood experiences, offering a diverse array of firsthand encounters within the CJS. These encounters illuminate its failures, successes, and the need for thorough reform. His writing acknowledges the intricate nuances of trauma, abuse, and violence, all contributing factors to marginalized individuals’ entanglement with the legal system. This book serves not just as a rallying cry but as a desperate plea for assistance from the very subjects of Perrin’s research who continue to face criminalization within a flawed legal structure. Perrin underscores the need for the complete dismantling and reconstruction of the Canadian CJS, advocating for trauma-informed approaches and lived experience to guide the process.
Review of Benjamin Perrin’s Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial
By Catharine Pandila
Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial, by Benjamin Perrin, lives up to its name. Perrin, having worked in a myriad of justice-related roles, most recently as a Professor of Law at the University of British Columbia, does indeed indict the Canadian criminal justice system in this latest work. Thought-provoking and exceptionally edited, Indictment includes thoughtful, if not raw, conversations and data woven between personal stories of victimization, racism, and violence. Perrin raises perspectives experienced by BIPOC groups, often not thought of, or envisioned and poignantly exampled, such as the “talk” and “carding.” Perrin also discusses BIPOC persons being more frequent victims of suspicion and use of force.
Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the Association’s views, but are included to encourage reflection and action on the criminal justice system throughout Canada.