Indigenous Courtwork Program | Access to Justice Services Agreements (AJA)

Courtworkers help Indigenous clients by:

• providing Indigenous persons charged with an offence and their family members with accurate information at the earliest possible stage of the criminal justice process;
• referring Indigenous persons charged with an offence to appropriate legal resources at key stages of the justice process (e.g., arrest, trial, sentencing), where practical
• referring Indigenous persons charged with an offence to appropriate resources, such as, social and medical services, education, employment and Indigenous community support. These resources will ensure that they have help in addressing the underlying problems which may have contributed to their charges. Where appropriate, Courtworkers advocate for these services before the courts and ensure, to the extent possible, that they are delivered;
• providing assistance, as appropriate, to other Indigenous persons involved in the criminal justice process (for example, victims, witnesses and family members);
• promoting and facilitating practical, community-based justice initiatives that help communities to identify and address problems that could end up in the courts or community justice system; and,
• serving as a “bridge” between criminal justice officials and Indigenous people and communities by advocating for Indigenous people before the courts, providing liaison, and promoting two-way communication.