Source: (2002) Ottawa, Ontario: Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Online document. Downloaded 12 July 2004.
The community of Akwesasne, in Canada has been devastated by smuggling and a growing national reputation as the epicenter of “aboriginal organized crime.” Even though there is a broad range of law enforcement strategies attuned to the task of monitoring, apprehending and controlling the activities of those directly involved in the illicit trade moving through Akwesasne, there is the need to develop alternative strategies for addressing the range of victims and harm flowing both directly and indirectly from the illicit trade. The primary purpose of this paper is to engage in a preliminary exploration of the potential of restorative responses to meeting the challenges posed to Akwesasne by smuggling. The study was divided into three parts: (1) the current research and literature on organized crime in Canada, and Aboriginal organized crime are summarized and critiqued; (2) a preliminary portrayal of the impact of cross border activity on the people who reside in Akwesasne; and (3) a description of the current restorative repertoire in Akwesasne, theorizing about the potential of a broad-based restorative initiative, engaging community crime prevention. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Service, www.ncjrs.org.
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