Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Sanikiluaq (Oct 14/02) - Alternative justice specialists were in the community last week providing information on a new way to deal with first-time offenders.

Cpl. Cheryl Joyce, the RCMP's National Alternative Justice co-ordinator, and Kristina Alariaq, Government of Nunavut justice specialist for the South Baffin Region, visited Sanikiluaq last week to offer three days of training for the Community Justice Committee.

Joyce, also acting on behalf of the Aboriginal Justice Learning Network, said she is providing the committee with a new method of dealing with offenders.

The committee, made up of local volunteers appointed by the Justice Department, provides an alternative to punishment through the court system and saves the first-time offender from having a criminal record.

Currently, offenders go before the justice committee. Both parties discuss the circumstances of the offence and a sentence of restitution or community service is handed down.

But Joyce is now training the members to utilize a new method of alternative justice administration, in which the victim is permitted to attend the session and provide input on the type of sentence that should be passed on.

Members of the community who support the victim and offender are also permitted to participate, resulting in a community-based restorative justice forum.

"It's a circle process ... this is just another way that they can deal with offenders and both the victim and offender can have support there with them," said Joyce.

Cpl. Wills Thomas of the Sanikiluaq RCMP said the local justice committee, consisting of seven members, is already doing a great job, but he welcomes the higher learning experience and new method of dealing with first-time offenders.

"Our justice committee has been excellent here in Sanikiluaq. Over the past four years since I've been here I've referred several matters to them and they have handled it properly," said Thomas.

Joyce said this method of alternative justice allows room for community healing, as well as sparing the offender from the court system.