Committee helps people right wrongs
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Cambridge Bay (Jun 04/01) - The long arm of the law looks a little different here.
While the RCMP polices the hamlet, the Community Justice Committee has the role of administering justice and preventing crime.
Established in the 1980s by elder Frank Analok, the six-person committee now follows the lead of Analok's daughter, Jessie Lyall.
"I was raised here and I know about the community," said Lyall. "I wanted to help with the prevention of crime."
Lyall said the way the committee administered justice allowed offenders to see the error of their actions.
After receiving a referral from the RCMP, it's the committee's job to deal with people who face less serious crimes like theft and assault. The members set up a meeting between themselves, the offender, the victim, their respective supporters and any members of relevant counselling services.
While having the offender meet the victim face-to-face is often extremely difficult, Lyall said it had the ability to instill a sense of personal responsibility not usually present in the court system.
"I encourage the offender and say we're here to help you to right what you did wrong. We ask them to co-operate and tell them everything is confidential," said Lyall.
At the meeting, the charge is read aloud. Everyone gets to speak about the crime and how it has affected them. Compensation is determined by the severity of the crime.
"At the end, we say, 'How can we make this better for you, your family, your victim? What can we do? How would you like us to help you,'" said Lyall.
She said the system allowed everyone to leave the room feeling better than they did when they first came in.
"You get to deal with the person in bettering their life. It's a better understanding of people and it takes them to the right way of living. They too, will experience that path.
Stopping crime
While the committee metes justice similar to traditional Inuit ways, it also works to stop crime before it even starts. Committee member Elik Tologanak said they focused much of their energy on crime prevention.
That includes evenings of free entertainment for families, camping trips for youth who have offended or are in danger of offending and land trips with elders.
Tologanak said her own role as a mother and a school community counsellor gave her specific insight into how to deal with youth who have lost their way. Her Innuinaqtun language skills also allow her to act as a translator between youth and elders -- a role she says is critical when trying to stop crime.
"I'm able to understand the elders' point of view and the youths' point of view. I feel that's very important because sometimes they might have difficulty communicating," she said.
System works
RCMP and territorial Department of Justice officials agree that committees like the one in Cambridge Bay are effective.
RCMP Cpl. Mark Flower has worked with the local committee for just two months, but has been involved with others for 15 years.
"The committee provides an excellent service to the RCMP, to the community of Cambridge Bay and to Nunavut," said Flower.
"They're doing a good job and they have a keen interest in seeing the community heal."
Ron McCormick, the director of corrections and community justice for the government, also praised the committee.
"They're taking it back to a system like it used to be," said McCormick.
"When (the offender) is made responsible to the community, it's different than being responsible to the courts," he said.
"It has more impact."
