Restorative Justice Program (RJ) - Tungasuvvingat Inuit

Restorative Justice Program

The Restorative Justice program is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Attorney General and operated through a Restorative Justice Liaison that serves as the link between TI, Inuit clients, the courts and the Crown.

Restorative Justice (RJ) is an approach to justice in which the response to a crime, is to organize a conference between the victim and the offender, and sometimes with representatives of a wider community as well. The goal is to negotiate for a resolution to the satisfaction of all participants involved.

The aim of the program is to eventually divert Inuit clients from the traditional court system (which often involves incarceration) to Restorative Justice, culturally-based practices. This will provide an opportunity for Inuit clients to tell their story and accept responsibility for and acknowledge the harm caused. It also allows for them to hear how their behaviour affected others and participate in determining how to repair the harm.

Understanding Impact

Victims can tell their story and be certain the wrongdoer understands the impact. Through the process they will find answers to questions, hold the offender accountable and if possible, identify what can be done to repair the harm.

Communities can be empowered to gain a better understanding of the root causes of crime, engage in a process to express and reduce their fears, and contribute to an understanding of the wider impacts of crime.

The Ikajuriallaktiit Restorative Justice Committee’s role in the RJ process is to provide guidance, program input and to facilitate sessions using the victim/offender conferencing model.