The Indigenous Justice Research Project

Urban inequality is a major challenge for the Indigenous population. There are no nation-wide studies in Canada that have explored the link between urban Indigenous populations and safety.

However, we do know that compared to non-Indigenous residents, urban Indigenous people have lower rates of employment and lower average incomes, and the women and youth are often faced with situations of extreme marginality and vulnerability due to poverty, homelessness, intergenerational impacts of residential schooling, impacts of the child welfare system and substance abuse. There is some understanding that increasing numbers of Indigenous women and youth are moving to cities and thus compounded with such marginalization, offending and victimization rates are more likely to be disproportionately high for this population.

The Indigenous Justice Research Project reflects a growing movement of Indigenous people in Montreal to become aware of their needs and rights as equal citizens and to develop concerted action to influence, create and guide processes that have real impact. This work explores the high exposure of Indigenous people to the criminal justice system and examines Indigenous-specific programming (before, during and after custody). It will subsequently lead to the creation of the First Peoples’ Justice Centre of Montreal (FPJCM).