Black Youth and the Criminal Justice System - a New Report

NEW REPORT on Black Youth and the Canadian Criminal Justice System

The Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat at the Department of Canadian Heritage has announced the release of a new report entitled, Black Youth and the Criminal Justice System: Summary Report of an Engagement Process in Canada. 

This report is the fruit of a collaboration between Justice Canada and the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat at Canadian Heritage. The report sheds light on the ways in which anti-Black racism has shaped the experiences of Black youth within the criminal justice system in Canada. It was drafted to respond to requests from Black youth from across the country for the Government to address the impact of the criminal justice system on their lives.

To produce the report, engagement sessions were conducted in six cities across the country with Black youth who have been in contact with the criminal justice system (CJS). Discussions were also held with family members and other key stakeholders such as community leaders and professionals who could speak to the experiences of Black youth who have come into contact with the CJS.

This community-led process enabled participants to tell stories, which clearly demonstrate that reducing Black youth’s levels of contact with the CJS and improving their experience within justice institutions requires not only criminal justice reform, but also changes within all the various social systems that shape the lives of Black youth, their families, and their communities.

RSD reports can be found on the RSD publications webpage or by searching the publications catalogue.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Peter Flegel, Executive Director of the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat [email protected], or to Lysiane Paquin-Marseille who led this project. [email protected]