Bad Medicine:A Judge’s Struggle for Justice in a First Nations Community

Description

Early in his career| Judge John Reilly did everything by the book. His jurisdiction included a First Nations community plagued by suicide| addiction| poverty| violence and corruption. He steadily handed out prison sentences with little regard for long-term consequences and even less knowledge as to why crime was so rampant on the reserve in the first place.In an unprecedented move that pitted him against his superiors| the legal system he was part of| and one of Canada’s best-known Indian chiefs| the Reverend Dr. Chief John Snow| Judge Reilly ordered an investigation into the tragic and corrupt conditions on the reserve. A flurry of media attention ensued. Some labelled him a racist; others thought he should be removed from his post| claiming he had lost his objectivity. But many on the Stoney Reserve hailed him a hero as he attempted to uncover the dark challenges and difficult history many First Nations communities face.At a time when government is proposing new “tough on crime” legislation| Judge Reilly provides an enlightening and timely perspective. He shows us why harsher punishments for offenders don’t necessarily make our societies safer| why the white justice system is failing First Nations communities| why jail time is not the cure-all answer some think it to be| and how corruption continues to plague tribal leadership.