Courts falling short on effort to keep Aboriginal people out of jail

From a Globe and Mail article:

All things being equal, Dennis Thibault didn't have a prayer of getting bail.

The lanky, fast-talking street person had evaporated into the streets of downtown Toronto last July, after his arrest on cocaine-trafficking charges, and missed three consecutive court dates. Few judges would have considered taking a chance on him again.

But all things were not equal. The courtroom Mr. Thibault was led into last week -- known as a Gladue Court -- was created after a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling urged judges to be sensitive to the long-standing plight of aboriginal people.

Mr. Thibault was released on bail with a token $500 surety and a direction that he take drug treatment at an aboriginal centre.

**There is also a link below to a recent news item on Gladue materials available from CLEO.