Current/Actively taking Referrals from the Justice System
Yes
Length of Service
27 years
Geographic Area Served
Alexander First Nation; Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation; O’Chiese First Nation; Sunchild First Nation
Referrals are accepted from the Courts, Crown Prosecutors, and other service providers.
Age Restrictions
Youth and adults
Service Provision Restrictions
Must be a member of Alexander First Nation; Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation; O’Chiese First Nation; and Sunchild First Nation
Types of referrals accepted
The First Nation committee reviews all referrals on a case-by-case basis; there is experience in criminal matters such as impaired driving, assault, administration of justice, property crimes, domestic violence, etc.
Have you taken referrals for Serious Offences
Yes. Two First Nation Committees met together for a charge of manslaughter. The Committees met with individual and provide a joint recommendations along with the history of the individual and the family to the court for sentencing purposes.
Victim Involvement
In sentencing circles, yes, the victim is asked to participate but not in other programs. And if the victim can’t or won’t participate in the sentencing circles but the family is willing to, the circle can still proceed.
What is your administrative process for handling referrals? What can the referrer expect when they make a referral to you?
Referrer will be immediately directed to the Committee Coordinator for the community the accused is from. The Committee Coordinator will connect with Crown, Defense, and/or Justice to discuss the referral, then connect with the community’s Justice Committee for a decision on how to proceed (e.g., healing circle or sentencing circle or something else).
What forms are required?
Referral forms are sent to those requesting services with the committee.
What is communicated to the referrer re: the length of time to adjudicate your RJ processes? And are there any other information that is regularly communicated back to the referrer regarding the case through the process?
Regular communication will happen with the referrer. Generally, it takes about three months to organize a sentencing circle. Healing circles may be able to be organized a little more quickly. It depends on the community, the accused, the process the accused and Court want to pursue, etc.
What information and in what format is reported back to the referrer once the case is closed?
This depends on the referrer and what process the accused goes through. For example, Justices, Crowns, and Defense can get written or verbal briefings from healing circles that satisfy Gladue principles as well as recommendations for sentencing and healing plans.
Capacity to take on additional referrals
Coordinators are currently capable of taking on referrals in all communities.
Staffing/volunteers
We use a combination of paid staff and community members, including Elders, service providers, family members, and others choose to participate to support a community member with their healing. .
What training do you mandate for your Restorative Justice facilitators, elders, etc.?
YTCCS staff are community members, participate in ceremony, and have a strong understanding of intergenerational trauma, FASD and complex needs, trauma-informed practices, etc.
Prosecutions Office Region
Alexander First Nation; Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation; O’Chiese First Nation; Sunchild First Nation