Innu nation seeks restorative options, more resources at Labrador justice summit

Justice workers and leaders of theInnuNation made sure their voices and concerns were heard loud and clear at the Labrador Justice summit in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on Monday. They were calling for more culturally appropriate forms of dealing with justice in their community.

"The system has failed the Innupeople," InnuNation Grand Chief Greg Rich told CBC News. "It's not working and it needs to be addressed."

Chief Rich said that courts need to have more culturally appropriate solutions for Innu offenders. He'd like to see more restorative justice options for the Innu community which would move away from incarceration as a punishment and towards options such as sentencing circlesand enrolling offendersin treatment programs instead.

"I think instead of punishing people, we need to send them out to programs like rehab programs," Rich said.

Alot of these people are in there for their alcohol related [and] drug problems. So why don't we address the core of the problem?- InnuNation Grand Chief Greg Rich

"People stay there for their sentence, then they go back in the community and they go back and it's a cycle. So the justice department needs to think of that and what we can do to intervene."

Another huge barrier for Innu peoplein the justice system even with interpreters in placeis language, according to Rich.

"A lot of the words that are used in the courts are very hard to translate," Rich said, addingthere is no Innuword for "guilty",whichrequires an entire sentence to translate.

Rich would also like Natuashish to receive the same provincially funded justice positions that currently exist in Sheshatshiu. He also is calling for the circuit court, which currently travelsto Natuashish, to also make a stop in Sheshatshiu.

"[Either] they don't have rides [or]they cannot afford a taxi because a taxi from here is $70," Rich said.

"If they are unable to be present at their court, there's a breach, there's a warrant issued to them. So I think the court needs to be back in Sheshatshiu."

Land-based solutions

"Without a doubtin my mind it'sthe land that helps the people," SheshatshiuInnuFirst Nation Justice Coordinator David Penashue said.

Penashue runs a sweat lodge program for inmates at the Labrador Correctional Centre. He's seen the overcrowding issue at the facility first hand. He says a lot could be gained by keeping offenders out from behind bars and closer to cultural activities.

"In a sweat lodge, you can teach a lot of things. How to be a better man and to be a better father or do your anger management in a sweat lodge."

Busy courts

Justice Minister Andrew Parsons, who was in town for the event, acknowledged there are capacity issues at theLabrador Correctional Centre.The same is true at Happy Valley-Goose Bay provincial court, which services theInnucommunity ofSheshatshiuandalso acts as a circuit court for coastal communities includingNatuashish. The court is thesecond busiest in the province behind St. John's.

"I was at the correctional centre probably a month ago and I was talking to inmates there. If you look at the numbers, a majority of those numbers are aboriginal people, Inuit andInnu,"InnuNation Grand Chief Greg Rich told CBC.

"It's very simple, you know that a lot of these people are in there for their alcohol related [and] drug problems, so why don't we address the core of the problem?"

Parsons said the government does need to look at "different concepts".

"We need to look at restorative justice [and] we need to look at diversion," Parsons said.

"Isthere a better way to handle [things] so that we're meeting the principles of deterrence and punishment but at the same time looking at something we may not have concentrated enough on, that's rehabilitation."