Documenting Criminal Justice Firsts
The under-representation of Indigenous and racialized groups as criminal justice professionals is a manifestation of systemic racism, as is over and under policing in Canada. This website documents the criminal justice firsts –Indigenous and racialized individuals who were among the first to enter policing, corrections, legal practice and the judiciary. As trailblazers within the Canadian criminal justice system, these individuals faced not only racism within their profession but often community and familial disapproval of their career choices.
The Criminal Justice Firsts project is intended as a teaching and research resource for Ryerson members and the wider community. The project brings together information from disparate sources to narrate some of the struggles and accomplishments of Indigenous and racialized criminal justice professionals. As part of the effort to increase community engagement, learning and teaching, this project welcomes suggestions and information (opens in new window) that will further increase awareness of the contributions made by racialized and Indigenous groups as criminal justice professionals.