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Aboriginal individuals and their society as a whole have experienced a great deal of negative experiences with the Canadian government. This is the primary reasoning behind their overrepresentation in the criminal justice system. Our current society isn’t fully educated on this group past experiences and what they had to put up with; we are quick to judge without any factual information. Past injustices that the Aboriginal population have faced will play a key role in how they choose to perceive todays society. The soci-economic situation that aboriginals face has and continues to impact Aboriginals. The flaws in the justice system show significant relation to the overrepresentation of aboriginals in the justice system.

The Aboriginals over representation in the criminal justice system is due to many social factors within our societies. Past injustices for this group has predominantly shaped there future for them. Factors such as poverty, unemployment/education and housing status can be affected by crime, or they can be the results. These social problems are mainly due to the past discrimination and abuse the aboriginal societies faced. These factors may not always directly increase or decrease crime. Likewise, they play a significant role and impact the choices aboriginal members make, indirectly affecting our societies and the justice system. Aboriginal families have been victims to poverty for years; a study done by Winnipeg’s Social Planning council concluded that more than one half of the Aboriginal house holds are under the poverty line (Winnipeg 1989). Aboriginal societies rely on the Canadian governments money as a main source of income (Ottawa 1989). The Canadian government is compensating for the harm and loss they ca...

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...y for there current mistakes within the justice system and move on.

It is clear that the overrepresentation of the Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system is due to the past social, economic and cultural hardships they faced with the Canadian government. There were clear mistakes made by the Canadian government in the past that is currently leading to the problems that Aboriginal people face in our justice system. It is clearly noticeable within our justice system that the overrepresentation of aboriginals isn’t due their own choices; rather it is a result of government regulations that were created in the past. The soci-economic situation that the Aboriginals are currently placed in is a direct fault of the Canadian government. The justice system needs to be restructured so that systemic discrimination is present when dealing with aboriginal offenders.

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