CRIM 3151: Indigenous Justice
As an introduction to the Indigenous restorative justice paradigm, students critically examine the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples in Canada. Students explore and compare the idea of “justice” amongst some Indigenous, restorative, retributive and rehabilitative conceptions. Students pay particular attention to the importance of values, relationships, needs, and healing for those who cause harm and have been harmed. Students evaluate Indigenous and restorative justice approaches in the context of law enforcement, the law, corrections, community development, and crime prevention.
Learning outcomes
- Describe elements of Indigenous worldviews.
- Assess victimization and offending as it relates to historic and contemporary colonization, residential school impacts, systemic and institutional racism, and colonial policies.
- Analyze the points of intersection and divergence between Indigenous justice, restorative justice and the Canadian criminal justice system.
- Critically evaluate the morality and efficacy of punishment as a response to harm.
- Compare and contrast restorative, retributive, and rehabilitative justice approaches.
- Evaluate culturally relevant crime prevention and healing initiatives by and for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
- Analyze Indigenous and restorative justice practices utilizing the lenses of shame and trauma.
- Compare and contrast settler and Indigenous justice, considering what generalizations can and cannot be reasonably made.
- Report findings from information obtained from knowledgeable Indigenous or restorative justice field sources.
- Provide feedback to community members and justice practitioners about the meaning and application of Indigenous and Restorative Justice.
Course topics
- Module 1: Introduction to Indigenous Perspectives in Canada—Traditional Teachings and Ideologies
- Module 2: Colonialism, the Indian Act, Assimilation, Residential Schools, and Intergenerational Trauma
- Module 3: Indigenous Overrepresentation—Explanations and Experiences with the Criminal "Justice" System
- Module 4: Criminal Justice in Contemporary Society
- Module 5: Deconstructing Punishment—Theory, Practice, and Ethics
- Module 6: Justice as Healing—Contrasting Retributive, Rehabilitative, and Restorative Approaches
- Module 7: Restorative Justice—Theory and Practice
- Module 8: Shame
- Module 9: Trauma
- Module 10: Indigenous and Restorative Justice within Law Enforcement and the Courts
- Module 11: Indigenous and Restorative Justice within Corrections
- Module 12: Indigenous and Restorative Justice as Community Development and Crime Prevention
Required text and materials
The following materials are required for this course:
- Monchalin, L. (2016). The Colonial Problem: An Indigenous Perspective on Crime and Injustice in Canada. University of Toronto Press.
Type: Textbook. ISBN: 978-1-4426-0662-3 - Elliott, E. M. (2011). Security with Care: Restorative Justice and Healthy Societies. Fernwood Publishing.
Type: Textbook. ISBN: 978-1-55266-425-4
Assessments
Please be aware that should your course have a final exam, you are responsible for the fee to the online proctoring service, ProctorU, or to the in-person approved Testing Centre. Please contact exams@tru.ca with any questions about this.
To successfully complete this course, students must achieve a passing grade of 50% or higher on the overall course, and 50% or higher on the mandatory Final Exam.
| Essay 1: Indigenous Perspectives and Colonial Policies | 15% |
| Essay 2: Criminal Justice and Injustice | 15% |
| Reconciliation Project Essay | 25% |
| Three Discussion Postings | 15% |
| Mandatory Final Exam | 30% |
| Total | 100% |
Open Learning Faculty Member Information
An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Students will receive the necessary contact information at the start of the course.
