Department of Justice Component of Canada's Action Plan Against Racism, Formative Evaluation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Program Description

The federal government established Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism (CAPAR) in 2005, the first-ever horizontal, coordinated approach across four federal government departments (Canadian Heritage, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Justice) to combat racism.  As part of the Action Plan, the Department of Justice will receive a total of $6.7 million over five years (2005-06 to 2009-10) to pursue activities in the three following areas:

Addressing race-based issues in the justice system:

conducting research and consultations to assess the problem of overrepresentation of certain groups in the justice system and the perception of racial profiling by police and security forces;

Interventions for victims and perpetrators of hate crimes:

exploring initiatives that respond to the special needs of victims of hate crimes and interventions that reduce recidivism in those who commit such crimes by conducting consultations and research; and,

Countering Internet-based hate crimes:

investigating the problem of borderless communication of hate propaganda through the Internet.  Ongoing funding of $500,000 has been allocated for an initiative directed towards combating hate on the Internet.

2. Evaluation Scope and Objectives

The evaluation focused on departmental activities funded through Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism from its implementation in 2005-06 to the end of the 2006-07 fiscal year.  With a view of broadening the scope of activities covered by the evaluation, activities completed up to the end of the 2007 calendar year (when the evaluation commenced), were also examined.

The objectives of the evaluation were three-fold:

  1. To examine, assess and report on early results and progress towards long-term results achievement;
  2. To examine and assess the progress and success of implementation of the Justice component of the Action Plan to date; and,
  3. To review the Results-based Management and Accountability Framework (RMAF)'s performance and evaluation strategies to ensure that they are still relevant and that there is a focus on indicators that will demonstrate clearly the achievements of the Justice component of the Action Plan.

3. Methodology

The methodology used to evaluate the Justice component of the Action Plan included a review of relevant documents, a file review of all projects funded, and denied grants and contributions (G&C) funding under the Action Plan, key informant interviews with departmental officials and other stakeholders, as well as three case studies, which provided a way to collect detailed information on a sub-set of activities funded through the Action Plan to illustrate activities and results.

4. Findings

4.1. Design and Delivery

Three priority work areas:

The Department’s anti-racism mandate includes three main areas of focus: race-based issues in the justice system, interventions for victims and perpetrators of hate crimes, and Internet-based hate crime.  While it has attempted to pursue activities in each of the three areas, work has been concentrated in some (e.g. Internet hate tip line) and has been very limited in others (i.e. interventions for perpetrators of hate crime).  The Department’s work is evolving primarily in terms of whom within the organization is willing to collaborate and pursue activities that are relevant to Canada’s priorities under the Action Plan.

G&C component:

The Department of Justice provides G&C funding for anti-racism activities and projects through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP).  Although funding criteria are very broad, take-up has been limited to six projects (five funded through JPIP and one funded in partnership with Youth Justice through the Youth Justice Renewal Fund) since the implementation of the Action Plan in 2005-06, resulting in significant lapses in G&C funding.  Despite efforts to actively communicate and promote the G&C funding available, public awareness of the Department’s mandate for anti-racism activities is likely still low as organizations that received funding from the Department to pursue activities under the Action Plan did not initially seek funding through JPIP.

Steering Committee:

The Departmental Coordinator has established a steering committee, whose role is to assist in the implementation of activities under the Action Plan, for example, by reviewing proposals and submissions for funding.  Steering Committee meetings are an effective mechanism for information sharing.  Although meetings are not always well attended, informal discussions and communication among most committee members seem to be very frequent, if not continuous.

4.2. Implementation

Initially, the implementation of the Justice component of the Action Plan began slowly.  With the exception of some preparatory work within the Public Law Policy Section and Research and Statistics Division, new work relevant to Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism did not occur during the first year of the initiative.  However, the Department’s work under the Action Plan is generally starting to gain more momentum now that mechanisms for its implementation have been established, such as a framework for providing G&C funding.

The evaluation found that there have been three main challenges to the implementation of the Action Plan, including lack of administrative support, delays in the approval process for project funding proposals and difficulties in undertaking some planned activities in the area of racial profiling.  The first two challenges are thought to have been overcome now that funding has been approved for additional administrative support for the Departmental Coordinator and there is greater clarity concerning the approval process for funding G&C projects.  Even though the Public Law Policy Section was not able to follow through with all of its planned activities, it has nevertheless completed a significant amount of work.

4.3. Early Results

The Department of Justice has made progress in contributing to the achievement of many of its short and medium-term outcomes through a series of research, project funding and policy activities.  However, relative to other Justice initiatives under the Action Plan, interventions for perpetrators of hate crime is one area where significant progress has not yet been made.

4.4. Progress toward Long-term Results Achievement

Evaluation findings indicate that the Department has made progress toward long-term results achievement, in that activities have been undertaken that address many of the short and medium outcomes identified in the Results-based Management and Accountability Framework (RMAF), with the exception of interventions for perpetrators of hate crimes.  However, interview findings indicate that the Department does still plan to pursue activities in this area through for example, a study on alternative measures for hate crime offenders and a panel on inter-racial conflict resolution.

4.5. Performance Measurement

Performance measurement for activities carried out through the Action Plan focuses more on measuring outputs rather than outcomes. The data collected are essentially used by the Department to report to Canadian Heritage on its activities.  More data illustrating the concrete results of the Department’s activities will be necessary for measuring the impact of the Justice component of the Action Plan as part of the summative evaluation.

During the course of the evaluation, key informants indicated that the outcomes for activities related to interventions for perpetrators of hate crimes are no longer reflective of the work the Department plans to undertake in this area and suggested that they be revised so that they are realistic and feasible.  Additionally, key informants identified activities to raise awareness of race-based issues in the justice system (e.g. March 21 Day of the Elimination of Discrimination) that are occurring within the Department or that are planned for the 2008-09 fiscal year, which are not captured in the current RMAF.