Youth Action Project on JUSTICE

Calls to Action

#yapyeg #endpovertyyeg
April 20, 2017

Youth Action Project 2017

 Executive Summary
The Youth Action Project (YAP) is initiated and supported by the John
Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights. YAP engages young
people in experiential learning about important community issues through a
human rights lens.

Over the past two years, the Centre has been following the citys End
Poverty Edmonton initiative and working with young Edmontonians to share
their understanding of the challenges and solutions around ending poverty
in our city and making systemic change. We have successfully been able
to offer a platform for young people to share their views about how to make
their city a better place while making meaningful change. We were proud to
see all recommendations made to the City integrated into their End Poverty
Edmonton strategy and road map.

One of the key areas that came out during two years of work on
poverty issues in Edmonton was a clear desire by the young people to look
at the barriers that community face in relation to policing. Partnered up with
the Equity, Diversity and Human Rights Division of the Edmonton Police
Service, we began a learning journey in the fall of 2017 of which four
recommendations have been built by these young people reflecting on their
learnings and experiences. This document provides a brief for each area
identified by the young people and the possible solutions to strengthening
our community.

Youth Action Project 2017 2

Security Proposed Action(s)
Recognizing the significant pressures and trauma experienced by police officers on the job, we
call upon the Edmonton Police Service to commit to embedding a culture of self care for officers
that recognizes and addresses the stress they experience in the line of duty as well as the stigma
that is associated with seeking help. To aid this effort we recommend a public story-sharing
campaign that humanizes police and confronts societal and institutional stigmas to seeking help.

Lead Responsibility & Partners

Edmonton Police Service, Alberta Health Services (mental health supports)

Issue Being Addressed (whats the problem?)

We heard from officers that many are overwhelmed with their responsibilities and aware that when
their mental and emotional health are well supported they are better able to do their jobs. This is
especially salient with increasing numbers of people with mental health issues who officers come
in contact with on a daily basis. Equally important, we recognize that minimizing stigma internally
is only one piece of the puzzle, therefore a public story-sharing campaign that humanizes the
experiences of police and opens safe opportunities for them to share their experiences without
fear for their jobs or reputations would go a long way to break down barriers and stereotypes.

Groups Impacted/Benefitting From This

Police officers, the public, marginalized populations.

Action Approach, Steps or Suggestions

1. EPS consult with officers, mental health professionals, other first responders to create a
responsive strategy of support for officers to ensure the continued good health of officers.
2. A public story-sharing campaign that could humanize the police, confront harmful societal
and institutional stigmas and ideas of masculinity would add value to building relations and
breaking stigma.

Resources Needed
Buy-in from officers and higher ranks.

Youth Action Project 2017 3

Freedom Proposed Action(s)
We call upon the Government of Alberta to include an investigation of Justice in the curriculum for
secondary school students to learn about their rights and responsibilities within the criminal justice
system (policing, the Youth Criminal Justice Act). Based on our community research, students
need knowledge that strengthens their ability to self-advocate, navigate the criminal justice
system and participate meaningfully as citizens. This action should involve an audit of existing
curriculum as well as new curriculum that appropriately meets the needs of young people.

Lead Responsibility & Partners

Minister of Education, Edmonton Public Schools, John Howard Society, Elizabeth Fry Society,
EPS, RCMP

Issue Being Addressed (whats the problem?)

Many young people have negative experiences with police which can also result in their being
criminalized at school. Too often these young people are youth of colour and/or youth living in
poverty. Young people deserve to better know their rights and responsibilities and how to engage
with the justice system from a place of knowledge.

Groups Impacted/Benefitting From This Action

Youth, Marginalized Populations, Teachers.

Approach, Steps or Suggestions

Education, in order to be appropriate, should have a specific emphasis on learning from those
with lived experience and first responders to equally share diverse perspectives with students.
We also suggest strengthening and supporting the work of organizations such as the John
Howard Society and the Edmonton Community Legal Centre who already offer these types of
learning sessions in schools.

Resources Needed
Government Support.
Dignity Proposed Action(s)
We call upon the Edmonton Police Commission and Edmonton City Council to ensure that those
with lived experience of poverty and criminalization have a voice on the Police Commission. We
call upon the City of Edmonton and the Edmonton Police Commission to approach lived expe-
rience as a skill set needed for ones role on the Commission in order to be valued similarly to
financial acumen or legal knowledge.

Lead Responsibility & Partners

Edmonton City Council, Edmonton Police Commission

Issue Being Addressed (whats the problem?)

Considering the diversity within our city it is concerning that the Police Commission, the main body
for police accountability in our city does not reflect the experiences of marginalized communities.
Marginalized communities in particular need a seat at decision making tables and within systems
that disproportionately affect them.

Groups Impacted/Benefitting From This Action

Edmonton Police commission, Marginalized communities.

Approach, Steps or Suggestions

Ensure that the application is accessible to those with lived experience of poverty, criminalization
and incarceration. A minimum of one person on the Commission should represent those with this
lived experience.

Resources Needed
Support from city council.

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 Justice Proposed Action(s)
We call upon the Government of Alberta to (re)affirm their commitment to the TRC
Calls to Action, in particular #30 which calls upon federal, provincial, and territorial
governments to commit to eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in
custody over the next decade, and to issue detailed annual reports that monitor and
evaluate progress. We recommend that this call to action also be extended to consider
other overrepresented racialized communities (black and newcomer populations) in
conflict with the law and in prison.
In order to action this recommendation, we recommend the Government of Alberta
encourage and fund pre-sentencing extra-judicial measures (where appropriate) and
restorative justice practices such as youth-centered sentencing circles as outlined in the
Youth Criminal Justice Act (2003).

Lead Responsibility & Partners

Government of Alberta, Justice

Issue Being Addressed (whats the problem?)

Young, Indigenous and other people of colour are overrepresented in street checks,
remand centres and prisons across our country.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2015001/article/14163-eng.htm
A committment to monitoring these numbers and remaining accountable will help build
trust as well as inform a strategy to address systemic discrimination.

Groups Impacted/Benefitting From This Action

Indigenous peoples, newcomer community, youth, everyone.

Approach, Steps or Suggestions

Both EPS and the province should work with grassroots organizations to do a review of
data collection procedures and build a plan for effective data collection that documents
the realities and assists law enforcement in responding.

Resources Needed
Government support. Resources for data collection.

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info@jhcentre.org
@jhcentre

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