Workshops
Upcoming CCJA in Banff!
39th CCJA Congress
The Alberta Criminal Justice Association & Canadian Association of Threat Assessment Professionals presented:
Incels and Mass Shootings: Rejection, Rage and Retribution – Thursday, November 7th, 2019 from 9am-4pm in Calgary!
In the Fall of 2018 ACJA held 2 workshops – Interviewing Victims of Trauma!
DR. SARAH MACDONALD – the Presenter is a Forensic Psychologist and published author who specializes in
Memory and Forensic Interviewing in Calgary, Canada. She provides education and training to Law Enforcement in
Alberta, Judges, Prosecutors, Physicians, among others. She has conducted and published research, including a book
chapter, examining cognitive processes underlying investigative interview techniques, psychological-based investigative
practices, deception detection/credibility assessment, and memory.
In the Spring of 2018 ACJA held 2 workshops! The Presenter was Martin Hurst and he talked about the Impact of Social Media on the Criminal Justice system:
Social Media is a commanding tool for communications. It can be heavily exploited by those either seeking to do harm or others who fail to understand the consequences of “boundary blurring” between personal and professional activities. Attendees of this 1/2-day workshop or WEBINAR learned opportunities and the pitfalls when using social media, understanding the importance of good research, analysis and operational planning in using information tools, and how to reduce risk when using social media.
ACJA workshops usually take place in the fall and/or spring of each year with a focus on timely and relevant topics regarding a variety of criminal justice matters. In the past, ACJA has been noted for the planning and offering of workshops in both Calgary and Edmonton on such topic areas as FASD, Mental Illness, Relationship Development, Pathways to Violence, and Drug Courts. Our focus has been primarily directed at front line level staff and the offering of material that can be used in their day to day work requirements.
Recent ACJA Workshops
November of 2015 – The Alberta Criminal Justice Association was pleased to provide one day workshops, in Calgary and Edmonton, that focused on the impact of chronic trauma which could produce post-traumatic stress responses such a Vicarious Trauma.
November 2014 – “Freeman On The Land Workshop”. This one day, by invitation only, workshop in both Edmonton and Calgary explored the important implications of the Freeman On The Land Movement for criminal justice professionals. “Freeman” (or Sovereign Citizens as they sometimes call themselves) believe that all statute law is contractual. They further believe that law only governs them if they choose or consent to be governed. By implication, they believe that, by not consenting, they can hold themselves independent of government jurisdiction. “Freeman” may number up to 30,000 in Canada and are listed on the FBI’s domestic terror watch list.
March 2013 – “Sexual Exploitation: Inspiring Community Action”. This half day workshop in both Calgary and Edmonton commenced with a screening of the film “Who Cares?” and followed with a panel discussion and audience participation. In this cinema vérité documentary, director Rosie Dransfeld captures the gritty and dangerous world of Edmonton’s sex trade workers where, in a post-Pickton era, women now voluntarily provide police with DNA samples for future postmortem identification. The panel spoke to the issues identified in the film and then explored the means to get the community involved in action. Please click here to view the film’s trailer.
March 2012 – “Dying To Be Canadian: Honour Based Violence”. Honour Based Violence (HBV) is different from intimate partner violence and can take many forms. Indian-born Canadian Aruna Papp conducted four full day presentations each in Calgary and Edmonton; two specifically for law enforcement personnel and two for other agency and community participants. Aruna invited attendees to explore the concept of honor, the idea of a preference for sons, and the concept of the collective extended family. She also discussed barriers to disclosure, the reluctance of victims to testify and an introduction to elements of risk assessment. Aruna has recently written a book about her life entitled Unworthy Creature: A Punjabi Daughter’s Memoir of Honour, Shame and Love.
April 2011 – “Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery”. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labour: a modern-day form of slavery. The impact on victims is traumatic. ACJA offered a one day workshop in both Edmonton and Calgary where representatives from the police services, Justice Canada, and ACT Alberta (Action Coalition on human Trafficking) presented alongside a traumatologist and a survivor of human trafficking. This workshop was of interest to police, victim services, crown prosecutors, health professionals, shelters, faith communities, corrections, and those looking to expand their knowledge of this crime.
Other Related Training Opportunities
SAVE THE DATE * Monday, September 19, 2016 (3:30 * 5:00 PM) CN Conference Theatre (5-142) City Centre Campus, MacEwan University The Department of Public Safety & Justice Studies invites you to join us for a public presentation by Howard Sapers, Correctional Investigator for Canada. As of March 2015, Aboriginal inmates represented 24.4% of the total federal custody population while comprising just 4.3% of the Canadian population. Between March 2005 and March 2015, the Aboriginal inmate population increased by more than 50% compared to a 10% overall population growth during the same period. As a group, Aboriginal people accounted for half of the total growth in the federal inmate population over this time period. The situation is even more distressing for federally sentenced Aboriginal women. Over the last ten years, the number of Aboriginal women inmates doubled; approximately 36% of incarcerated women are of Aboriginal ancestry (OCI, 2015). Mr. Sapers will be speaking about Aboriginal corrections with some specific examples of recommendations and responses, and will describe some priorities for immediate attention. Further details about the presentation will be provided in late August. In the meantime, mark your calendar and consider joining us for what will most certainly be an important and informative dialogue.
September 30 – October 3, 2015 Regina, SK
35th Canadian Congress on Criminal Justice – Justice at the Crossroads
September 30 – October 2, 2015 Edmonton, AB
Exploring Challenges / Creating Solutions: Supporting Families of Missing or Murdered Persons