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

5.  CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS


5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Design and Delivery

Three priority work areas:

The Department’s anti-racism mandate includes three main areas of focus: addressing race-based issues in the justice system, interventions for victims and perpetrators of hate crimes, and countering 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 provides G&C funding for anti-racism activities and projects through the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP).  The Department offers information about the application process on its Web site, and Programs Branch staff is available to provide guidance to applicants throughout the process.  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. 

Recommendation 1

It is recommended that the Departmental Coordinator for the Action Plan and the Programs Branch work with the Communications Branch to review and make any necessary adjustments to the current communications strategy for informing departmental staff as well as other stakeholders about the G&C funding available, with a view to increasing the take-up and making it a more effective mechanism in meeting the Department’s obligations under the Action Plan.

Management Response

Agreed.  Although it appears that for the current fiscal year (2008-09) all of the G&C funding will be spent, discussions have occurred with officials in the Communications Branch regarding the provision of support for other Communication-related activities (e.g. the launch of the national tip line). This support, provided on an as needed basis, will be beneficial for all members of the Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism Steering Committee and others in the Department.

Recommendation 2

It is recommended that the Departmental Coordinator convene a larger departmental meeting, with a particular focus on including other relevant areas within the organization that have not been actively involved in the implementation of the Action Plan to date, in order to enhance its visibility and examine how these other areas can collaborate.

Management Response

Agreed.  A departmental meeting is being organized for June 2008.  It is hoped at that time that approval will have been obtained for the national tip line project.  If so, the meeting will provide a key opportunity to inform others about this major initiative.

Action Plan colleagues from Canadian Heritage may be invited to attend in an effort to educate about the broader CAPAR strategy.

Recommendation 3

It is recommended that the Programs Branch continue to provide dedicated Program Analyst support and that he or she and the Departmental Coordinator work collaboratively to identify and implement a more strategic and systematic approach to soliciting proposals and communicating the funding that is available, with a view of enhancing the effectiveness of the G&C component.

Management Response

Agreed.  Programs Branch has already ensured that a Program Analyst assume the lead responsibility in regards to the administration of G&C.  This approach has already yielded positive results in the coordination of funding proposals. The Program Analyst will continue to be supported by the A/Director of the Innovations, Analysis and Integration Directorate.  These measures aim to ensure that ongoing support is provided to the Departmental Coordinator to ensure the success of the Action Plan.

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.  The Committee meets twice a year, which several members indicated is not frequent enough.  Although meetings are not always well attended, the informal discussions and communication among most committee members seem to be very frequent, if not continuous.

Recommendation 4

It is recommended that the Departmental Coordinator explore opportunities for increasing the frequency of Steering Committee meetings and expanding the mandate of the Committee to include strategic planning activities.

Management Response

Agreed. Steering Committee meetings will occur at minimum every two months.  Furthermore, discussions regarding strategic planning activities occurred at the Committee’s last meeting on April 17, 2008 and it was decided that a special strategic planning meeting be convened in May 2008 to plan for activities in the 2008-09 fiscal year.

5.2. 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, 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.

5.3. 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 departmental initiatives under the Action Plan, interventions for perpetrators of hate crime is one area where significant progress has not yet been made.

Recommendation 5

Given that the Action Plan indicates that the Department will conduct consultations and research to identify meaningful interventions and sentences for those who commit hate and racially motivated crimes, and this area has not been a focus to date, it is recommended that Steering Committee members consider addressing this gap when planning their activities for the 2008-09 fiscal year.

Management Response

Agreed.  Activities to date have been focused to other priority areas (i.e. combating Internet hate).  Although it has been difficult to identify specific “meaningful interventions” for those who commit hate and racially motivated crimes, the Justice Coordinator is exploring the possibility of funding a national symposium on responses to racially motivated offending that would occur in the last quarter of the 2008-09 fiscal year.

5.4. 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 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. 

5.5. 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. 

The Justice Coordinator recently worked with the Evaluation Division to design a survey questionnaire that was used to assess the success of a Forum on Justice Programs in Northern and Remote Aboriginal Communities that occurred in March 2008.  Concrete performance data such as this will continue to be collected and compiled on an ongoing basis to help inform annual reporting to Canadian Heritage and the final 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.  Instead, they suggested that the outcomes 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.

As work has progressed, it has become clear that adjustments need to occur, including ensuring that all activities identified regarding race-based issues in the justice system (e.g. collaboration with the Departmental Advisory Committee on Visible Minorities and the March 21 Day of the Elimination of Discrimination) are captured in the current RMAF.  CAPAR Steering Committee members will work with the Evaluation Division to make any necessary revisions to the RMAF prior to the final summative evaluation.

Recommendation 6

Areas within the Department of Justice that receive funds through the Action Plan such as Research and Statistics Division, Public Law Policy Section, Strategic Initiatives Unit, and Programs Branch should continue to collect ongoing performance information on their activities, and, to the extent possible, collect and record data on concrete examples of the impacts/results of their activities in order to facilitate and improve annual reporting to Canadian Heritage.  This information will also be vital for measuring the Action Plan’s impact as part of the final summative evaluation.

Management Response

Agreed.  Efforts will continue to be made to illustrate the concrete results of activities funded under the Action Plan through the collection of performance data and information. 

Recommendation 7

The logic model and performance measurement strategy for the Justice component of the Action Plan should be revised to reflect the work that the Department plans to undertake in the area of interventions for perpetrators of hate crime as well as the activities to raise awareness of race-based issues in the justice system. 

Management Response

Agreed.  Departmental officials have worked with Canadian Heritage in an effort to meet reporting requirements that are applicable to both the interdepartmental CAPAR obligations as well as those of the Department of Justice.