Lake Babine Justice Survey

INTRODUCTION
 
The Foundation Agreement, signed in September 2020, includes a 20-year roadmap for collaborative work between LBN, the Province and Canada to enhance justice system supports for LBN members, including developing an LBN Justice Centre and LBN Indigenous Law Strategy. Please refer to p.50 (part 14) of the Foundation Agreement to see the full detail on the Justice Vision and Milestones.
CONFIDENTIALITY
ALL ANSWERS ARE CONFIDENTIAL.
VOLUNTARY
THIS IS A VOLUNTARY SURVEY. This survey asks personal questions in order to find out whether LBN members have been receiving access to services and programs they are entitled to.  Please answer the questions you are comfortable answering.    
GATHERING NAMES FOR ENTRY INTO PRIZE DRAW
The question at the end of the survey asking for your email address is optional.  The goal is to ensure your name is included in a draw for prizes. 
***The answers to the survey are NOT linked to your email address.  ***
 
PURPOSE OF SURVEY
 
This survey aims to gather information and perspectives from the LBN people as part of our work of beginning to build LBN dialogue about justice and toward building a future LBN justice system. You’re being asked the following questions for one simple reason: we would like to best understand your interests, concerns, and questions about the justice system, our work to improve it and build LBN justice systems in the future. Your input matters to us.
 
WHAT DOES THE FOUNDATION AGREEMENT SAY ABOUT JUSTICE
Justice Vision
Lake Babine Nation’s vision for dealing with offences is holistic and restorative: it will seek to balance rehabilitation, reparation, and accountability to the victims and the affected community, while also prioritizing community safety and risk reduction.
We want to see fewer LBN members interacting with the criminal justice system, ensuring more LBN offenders find a healthy life path, and making the five LBN Communities safer.
In addition, we require a distinct approach to youth justice to recognize their unique needs.
LBN TRADITIONAL LAWS AND THE LBN WAY OF LIFE
LBN will also strengthen the application of its traditional laws beyond the criminal law to include areas of LBN life, like Governance, Child and Family, Wildlife, and any other subject areas that members decide to prioritize.
 
LBN Members
The term “LBN Members” refers to both on-reserve and off-reserve LBN Members.
 
CONFIDENTIALITY
Your name and survey answers are completely confidential, and all answered surveys will be combined so that nobody can be identified from their answers.

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* 1. To which gender identity do you most identify?

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* 2. Age Range (Please select one).

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* 3. Where do you currently live? (Please select one).

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* 4. What do you consider your home community? (Please check all that apply).

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* 5. Are you a registered member of Lake Babine Nation?

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* 6. What is your Clan Affiliation? (Please select one).

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* 7. What is the best way to communicate with you? (Please check all that apply).

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* 8. What do you have access to? (Please check all that apply).

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* 9. Have you ever witnessed a crime? (Please select one)

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* 10. Have you ever witnessed a crime and reported it to police? (Please select one)

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* 11. Have you ever needed legal advice and representation on a criminal law charge? (Please select one)

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* 12. Have you ever needed legal advice and representation on a child welfare matter? (Please select one)

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* 13. Have you ever been convicted of a crime? (Please select one)

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* 14. If you have been convicted of a crime, have you ever had a Probation Officer prepare a Pre-Sentence Report? (ex 1-2 paragraphs about your Indigenous background and culturally based options).

A pre-sentence report is prepared by a probation officer to help the court learn more about the person to be sentenced. The probation officer will usually speak to the person about their education and family background, health concerns and prior convictions. The probation officer may also contact the offender’s family and friends or any other people suggested by the offender who may be able to help the court understand the person and their situation.

Source: BC Government, “Deciding on a Sentence”  https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96478_01
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/understanding-criminal-justice/how-works/sentencing/deciding-sentence


Please select one.

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* 15. If you have been convicted of a crime, have you ever had a Gladue Pre-Sentence Report done by an independent Gladue Report Writer, not a Probation Officer? 

Definition of Gladue Report:

Gladue reports can be extremely useful tools to help the crown, defence and the judge, to make informed decisions.  They provide a full picture of the individual, their unique background and systemic factors, and the restorative justice plan going forward.  They humanize the individual and lay out a practical plan.  They help to excavate the root cause of offence cycles and offer new interventions upstream.  Often, restorative justice plans can become a foundation for healing when they are aimed at prevention and wellness, incorporating Indigenous values and cultural traditions.”

Source: BC First Nations Justice Council
https://bcfnjc.com/crown-counsel/
Please select one

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* 16. Have you ever been the victim of a crime?

Definition of “Victim”  

An in dividual who suffers, in relation to an offence,
(a) physical or mental injury or economic loss of an act or omission that forms the basis of the offence, or
(b) significant emotional trauma and is an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated or, with respect to an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated, is a spouse, siblings, child or parent of the individual.

Source: Victims of Crime Act, RSBC 1996 Chapter 478, under “Definitions”
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96478_01

Please select one

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* 17. To PREVENT LBN MEMBERS FROM BECOMING VICTIMS OF CRIME, which programs should be prioritized? (Please select all that apply).

Definition of “Victim”  

An in dividual who suffers, in relation to an offence,
(a) physical or mental injury or economic loss of an act or omission that forms the basis of the offence, or
(b) significant emotional trauma and is an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated or, with respect to an individual against whom the offence was perpetrated, is a spouse, siblings, child or parent of the individual.

Source: Victims of Crime Act, RSBC 1996 Chapter 478, under “Definitions”
https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96478_01

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* 18. TO SUPPORT LBN MEMBERS WHO ARE ALREADY VICTIMS OF CRIME, which programs should be prioritized? (Please select all that apply).

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* 19. TO PREVENT LBN MEMBERS FROM COMMITTING CRIME, which programs should be prioritized? (Please check all that apply).

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* 20. TO SUPPORT AN LBN member who is charged with an offence or offences, what is needed? (Please check all that apply).

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* 21. TO SUPPORT LBN OFFENDERS WHO ARE INCARCERATED and BEING RELEASED, which programs should be prioritized? (Please select that apply).

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* 22. Do you support an LBN-based Youth Restorative Justice Program?

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* 23. Victims should have a say on the sentencing and rehabilitation of an accused person. (Please select one).

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* 24. TO ASSIST ANY LBN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS BEEN CONVICTED WITH A CRIME, there should be alternatives to jail such as Alternative Measures programs.

Definition of Alternative Measures programs:
Alternative measures programs are managed by a community corrections (probation) office. If the Crown counsel agrees to recommend for a convicted person, an alternative measures, and the community corrections (probation) office accepts the person convicted for this option, a person must take agreed-upon steps to repair the harm done. Alternative measures may include compensation for the loss or damage, an apology, community service work, or culturally-based practices for Indigenous People.

Source: Alternative Measures
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/if-you-are-accused-of-a-crime/understanding-charges/alternative-measures
Please select one

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* 25. Cultural Safety training in the area of health care, is important to make interactions less harmful and more responsive to the needs of LBN members (service delivery providers).

Definition of Cultural Safety:
Cultural safety is an outcome based on respectful engagement that recognizes and strives to address power imbalances inherent in the healthcare system. It results in an environment free of racism and discrimination, where people feel safe when receiving health care.

Source: First Nations Health Authority.
Please select one

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* 26. LBN should develop its own "LBN Cultural Safety Training" (with the LBN story and cultural content, led by LBN facilitators) to make interactions less harmful and more responsive to the needs of LBN members (eg. BC, federal, and municipal organizations, or service delivery providers).
Please select one.

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* 27. If LBN develops it own "LBN Cultural Safety Training", they should the following:

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* 28. Do you support a workshop aimed at LBN members to educate them about the impacts of Indian Residential School and Day School and the ways LBN can break cycles of abuse and recover culture and traditions? 
Please select one

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* 29. Please comment what programs and services are priorities for you and/or your family at this time?
Please select all that apply

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* 30. Please list what programs and services are challenging to access due to barriers and why you had trouble accessing them. Please be as specific as possible.

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* 31. LBN should develop its own Police Force in the future. (Please select one).

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* 32. LBN should develop its own community-based restorative justice program rooted in balhats governance, legal traditions, Carrier language, and LBN culture. (Please select one).

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* 33. An LBN person does not need to be a “status Indian” under the Indian Act to participate in LBN’s inherent practices on governance, legal traditions, language, and culture. (Please select one).

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* 34. LBN has existing laws in many areas.  They are just not written down. In what areas should there be law making? (Please select all that apply).

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* 35. Who do you think the law makers should be for making LBN laws?”

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* 36. How knowledgeable are you about historic LBN justice practices, customs, laws, or traditions? (Please select one).

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* 37. How knowledgeable are you about current LBN justice practices, customs, laws, or traditions? (Please select one).

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* 38. To what extent do you participate in the Balhats system? (Please select one).

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* 39. Is there anything else you wish to share regarding implementing a new justice model for LBN?

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* 40. If you would like to be entered into a draw to win 1 of 4 $50 gift cards, please leave us your email address

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