Community Justice Workers

The court system can be an intimidating place for youth and their parents. The goal of the ACYJP is to bridge the gap between the Criminal Justice System and the Black Community by providing education and referral services.  The role of the Community Justice Worker (CJW) is to navigate Black youth and their families through the Criminal Justice System. The CJWs will work in conjunction with community organizations in order to provide community based re-integrative and rehabilitative supports to Black youth involved in the Criminal Justice System.

The CJW will work in conjunction with the young person and their family in order to develop a comprehensive Service Plan. It will be tailored to the needs of the young person and informed by the young person’s personal goals, strengths and challenges. The Service Plan will contain a cultural component to assist the young person in developing an increased awareness and appreciation of their African heritage.  The Service Plan will be comprised of specific goals that are time limited, measurable and achievable.

As a system navigator, the CJW will ensure that the young person and their parents have a clear understanding of all release conditions. Appropriate supports will be utilized in order to assist the young person with compliance and support parental involvement.  The CJW will have ongoing contact with the young person and their family and will meet with them on every court appearance. When the young person will not be appearing in court for a period of 4 weeks or more, the CJW will initiate bi-weekly telephone contact with the youth and family.

Referral Process:

Youth are eligible for a referral to a Community Justice Worker if they provide their consent to participate in the services and have outstanding criminal charges under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The ACYJP will accept referrals from parents, youth, Defence Counsel, Duty Counsel, Probation Officers, Bail Programs and community organizations.