NCJ Number
223712
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 14 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 678-696
Date Published
June 2008
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the experiences of Aboriginal people with the Canadian criminal justice system.
Abstract
The results indicate that race is a key determinant in the manner in which a victim will be perceived by the people in the justice system and the manner in which the victim will approach the judicial process. The study found that concern for the recognition, support, and rights of victims within the criminal justice system has grown in recent years, which has led to legislative and procedural changes in the administration of justice that have improved the experiences of victims. The hypothesis examined by the study was whether all victims had benefited from changes in the system regardless of race and social class. The study investigated Aboriginal people who were victims of sexual violence and the experiences they had with the Canadian criminal justice system. As this population has a rate of occurrence of sexual violence much higher than in the general population, the study sought to explore perspectives about their encounters with the judicial system from the point of first contact with the police through involvement with the court and community service providers. The work utilized grounded theory qualitative methodology, and was part of a larger project that evolved from a review of the research, clinical and theoretical literature addressing the issue of victims of sexual violence in the criminal justice system. Eleven Aboriginal people identified as victims of sexual violence were interviewed. References