Canadian sources for information on the justice system

Post #255

950 words; 4 minutes to read

Audio summary courtesy of volunteer Kimberly Duong.

By Fiza Rehman, student volunteer

The criminal justice system is a cornerstone of Canadian democracy. Every Canadian should possess a general understanding of how this system operates and important issues regarding criminal justice. Fortunately, to help in understanding the complex nature of this system, several Canadian organizations share information and research in an accessible way for different audiences. 

This post mentions five such organizations. 

Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice

As a non-profit organization, the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice (CIAJ) works to connect individuals and institutions involved in the administration of justice. The CIAJ focuses on education and the exchange of information within the system and with the Canadian public. This organization provides training to people working in the system, and it also posts information on various issues through its blog and podcast. The blog posts on CIAJ’s website discuss specific topics in criminal justice, such as wrongful convictions, restorative justice, and representation on juries. Published on October 12, 2022, a blog post on CIAJ’s website titled “Prisoner Justice: Dignity Through Decarceration” discusses the over incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada and the concept of decarceration, which is linked to restorative justice. This post is linked here: https://ciaj-icaj.ca/en/2022/10/12/prisoner-justice-dignity-through-decarceration-ciaj2022/. There are also several podcast episodes available on the website, many in both English and French, that are categorized under the themes of human rights, access to justice, and administrative law, and these podcasts often involve interviews with experts in a particular field. 

Canadian Forum on Civil Justice

Committed to the advancement of civil justice reform and increasing accessibility within the justice system, the Canadian Forum on Civil Justice (CFCJ) is another organization that shares information about the justice system. The CFCJ undertakes projects and research that advances the organization’s goal of bringing awareness to the individual experiences of people in the system. There are many blog posts on the CFCJ’s website that discuss access to justice in Canada, issues affecting migrant workers, legal aid, victims of violence, and other topics. The posts also highlight the need for improvement, greater access, and greater investment in justice. The post “Fifty Percent of Canadian with Civil and Administrative Legal Problems are in the Justice Gap”, published on the CFCJ website on August 3, 2023 and written by Ab Currie, discusses how a significant amount of Canadians dealing with legal problems lack access to proper representation, assistance, advice, and also face financial barriers. This post is linked here: https://cfcj-fcjc.org/a2jblog/fifty-percent-of-canadians-with-civil-and-administrative-legal-problems-are-in-the-justice-gap/. Additionally, the CFCJ also provides its audience with access to research, reports, publications, and newsletters. 

Canadian Civil Liberties Association

As a human rights organization, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) advocates for the safety and rights of Canadians. The CCLA works alongside lawyers to ensure an equitable legal system, and this organization has worked in courts to fight against injustice and discrimination. On the organization’s website, there is a page dedicated to sharing articles that provide updates on the CCLA’s involvement in the justice system, and these articles discuss how the CCLA is making a direct impact within the system. An article published on August 20, 2024 brings attention to the CCLA’s intervention in the Supreme Court that intended to ensure that individuals with mental health conditions were treated fairly during sentencing. This article is linked here: https://ccla.org/criminal-justice/ccla-intervening-before-supreme-court-to-ensure-fairness-in-sentencing-for-individuals-with-mental-health-conditions-or-cognitive-disabilities/. The CCLA also has information on their website describing their work in different areas, and the organization provides background information about specific criminal justice issues, such as police powers and the importance of police accountability. 

The International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy

Through its work in research policy analysis, the International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (ICCLR) supports the Canadian government and the United Nations with national and international interests in criminal justice policy. The ICCLR promotes democracy, human rights, and the administration of justice through its research. On its website, the ICCLR provides its audience with resources, including publications, podcast episodes, and articles. The publications provide information on many topics, including poverty, the relationship between law enforcement and minority groups, access to justice, how children are affected when their parents are sentenced, and more. The ICCLR also publishes externally produced research reports. Podcast episodes on the website focus on the experiences of Indigenous and Aboriginal people in Canada, and the ICCLR’s articles provide relevant news on different topics, such as wrongful convictions and issues in the legal aid system in Canada. An article written by Yvon Dandurand titled “The Role of Sports in Crime Prevention” highlights the importance of youth engaging in sports as a form of crime prevention and as a strategy to positively influence children in their formative years. The post also presents relevant research findings on youth programs centered on sports. The post is linked here: https://icclr.org/2022/10/14/the-role-of-sports-in-crime-prevention/. 

British Columbia Law Institute

The British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) is working toward the improvement of the administration of, and access to, justice. The BCLI researches and provides recommendations for improvements in law. This organization produces practical resources for people, such as public legal information materials and elder abuse resources. On the BCLI’s website, many posts can be found that focus on the law and the legal system, as can be seen in an article published on June 20, 2024 that discusses how social justice issues are addressed by certain bills in British Columbia. Specifically, this article describes and lists the goals of certain bills, such as making schools safer and housing more affordable. The article is linked here: https://www.bcli.org/advancing-social-justice/. The BCLI’s publications are also available on its website, and these publications share the organization’s research on different topics, such as human rights, artificial intelligence, and healthcare. The BCLI works collaboratively to employ the knowledge of experts and develop these resources.  

These are examples of some good sources of information about the justice system in Canada.

About this blog: The John Howard Canada blog is intended to support greater public understanding of criminal justice issues.  Blog content does not necessarily represent the views of John Howard Canada.  All blog material may be reproduced freely for any non-profit purpose as long as the source is acknowledged.  We welcome comments (moderated).