[A] lot of these guys go to jail, and they sit around this ten-by-twelve cell…And they get very bitter. Here in a sentencing circle, we make sure somebody tells the offender that we're here to help. -Harry Morin from Sandy Bay, as quoted in the book. Ross Green looks at the evolution of the Canadian criminal justice system and the values upon which it is based. He then contrasts those values with Aboriginal concepts of justice. Against this backdrop, he introduces sentencing and mediation alternatives currently being developed in Aboriginal communities within the structure of the current Canadian justice system. At the heart of the book are case studies of several communities, which Green uses to analyze the successes of and challenges to the innovative sentencing approaches currently evolving in Aboriginal communities. This book is based on the author's scholarly research; field trips to the communities profiled; interviews with judges, prosecutors, community leaders, and participants in sentencing circles, sentencing panels, and mediation committees; and the author's personal experiences as a defence lawyer. Those concerned with criminal justice as well as practising lawyers will find this book a valuable resource. | Justice in Aboriginal Communities by Ross Gordon Green, Paperback | Indigo Chapters