Education and training initiatives for criminal justice system professionals

Description

The objective of this theme is to fund provincial, territorial and national level targeted projects that will increase knowledge and understanding of criminal justice professionals regarding the root causes of Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system and community-led options for addressing crime, including Indigenous and restorative justice programs.

Objectives of the funding

The objective of this theme is to fund provincial, territorial and national level targeted projects that will increase knowledge and understanding of criminal justice professionals regarding the root causes of Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system and community-led options for addressing crime, including Indigenous and restorative justice programs.

Who can apply for this funding?

• Indigenous organizations*
• Professional associations**
• Academic institutions**
• Provincial and territorial governments**

*Priority will be given to Indigenous-led organizations.

**Professional associations, academic institutions, and provincial and territorial governments must have confirmed Indigenous partners. Letters signed by Indigenous partners outlining their involvement in the development and delivery of training will be required prior to final project approval. Funding for these partners will be considered an eligible project expense.

Selection criteria and mandatory elements

Scope

• Projects should be provincial, territorial or national in scope.
• Projects that cover a large region within or amongst several provinces and territories will also be considered.
• Community-level projects are not eligible under this theme.

Mandatory Elements

Funded projects must:

• Develop, adapt, update and/or disseminate/deliver educational and training resources for justice professionals such as police, Crown, defence counsel, legal aid lawyers, judges, and probation officers and other legal professionals, including those working at the bail stage.
• Training and educational materials should provide information on:
  • the impacts of colonization, including residential schools and involvement in the child welfare system, on Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system;
  • the barriers and challenges Indigenous people face in interacting with the criminal justice system (such as systemic discrimination, racism, lack of legal representation, mistrust of the system, lack of safe transportation in remote and isolated communities, language barriers, poverty, and housing instability); and
  • how to adapt criminal justice system responses and practices given systemic barriers, for example through partnerships with Indigenous-led community-based justice options.

Proposals must contribute to the following planned outcomes:

• Immediate outcome: Increased understanding by criminal justice professionals of the systemic causes of Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system and Indigenous-led community-based options for addressing crime.
• Intermediate outcome: Criminal justice system actors adapt approaches to better respond to the needs of Indigenous people, including by working more closely with Indigenous-led community programs and services.
• Ultimate outcome: Contribute to a decrease in the rate of incarceration among Indigenous people.

Available funding for each project

The level of funding will vary from project to project based on the nature and scope of the proposed activities.

National: Up to $500,000 is available per project for up to 30 months.

Provincial, territorial or regional: Up to $300,000 is available per project for up to 30 months.

Funds are limited and there is a need to ensure a regional distribution of the limited funds. Unfortunately, it may not be possible to fund all eligible projects.

Length of project

Multi-year projects (up to 30 months)

Additional information

If you have questions while completing the application, staff would be happy to help you and are available by email at: ijp-pja@justice.gc.ca.

Information session on the call for proposals

It is highly recommended that applicants watch a pre-recorded information session on how to apply for this call for proposals.

To receive a copy of the pre-recorded information session, please send an email to the following address: ijp-pja@justice.gc.ca.

How to apply

This call for proposals closed on August 19, 2021. We are no longer accepting funding applications.