Policing and Aboriginal justice

As the systemic discrimination against Aboriginal people in Canada has become more apparent, the call for reform in policing — the front end of the criminal justice system - has intensified. Past reforms — including cross-cultural training, legal education of Aboriginal people, and 'indigenization' of policing — have clearly not had sufficient effect. Tribal policing, in itself, cannot address the systemic discrimation operating with the massive urbanization of Aboriginal people. An independent complaints system and constitutional reforms that enable “legal pluralism” and Aboriginal self-government are probably required to create the context for adequately reforming policing in Canada.