Indictment: The Criminal Justice System on Trial

"A vividly written, long overdue, and deservedly rigorous critique of our legal system. Indictment exposes how neglecting history and ignoring trauma impacts the lives and actions of the people in our country caught up in its machinery, especially Indigenous people. Perrin offers an evidence-based, compassionate, and achievable vision of how this system could earn its name as one serving justice."

Gabor Maté, author of The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture

"Indictment is nothing short of revolutionary. The implications of a truly trauma-informed perspective on justice require a reckoning. With sensitivity to the stories of survivors, Perrin brings together the latest social science research and demonstrates the necessity for nothing short of a justice system overhaul. The writing style is beautiful, sensitive, and articulate. The case studies are authentic. Perrin’s courageous book gives voice to a great many who have suffered at the hands of a cruel system of justice."

Robert T. Muller, Professor of Clinical Psychology, York University, Fellow at the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, and author of Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up

"If Benjamin Perrin were a physician, Indictment would diagnose multi-organ failure in his moribund patient – the justice system – caused by ignorance of the effects of trauma, systemic racism, and colonial violence. But he is a professor of criminal law, so instead he prosecutes his case with passion, evidence, and the testimony of compelling witnesses. His vision of a new transformative justice might also be the basis for a more just and compassionate social order. Indictment is a must-read."

Robert Maunder, Chair in Health and Behaviour at Sinai Health, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, and co-author of Damaged: Childhood Trauma, Adult Illness, and the Need for a Health Care Revolution

"Incarceration or rehabilitation? That is the question. If you keep doing what you have always done, you’ll keep getting what you have got – only in this case, it keeps getting worse. This book begins by laying out the case for the indictment of the criminal justice system. It is alarming and hits close to home as an Indigenous person. Punishment, denunciation, and deterrence address the symptoms and not the cause. The ideas for a new path forward in this book must be adopted. Rehabilitation and healing are the way to make substantive changes, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and reconciliation give us the mandate. Let’s make it happen."

Bob Joseph, author of 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act and Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality

"Indictment dismantled everything I thought I knew about the criminal justice system. This powerful book is a necessary read. Benjamin Perrin utilizes poignant stories of lived experiences to show why the criminal justice system doesn’t work for any of us. He offers a beautiful vision for healthy communities that are safe for everyone. Read this book and you will never see things the same way again."

Clara Hughes, O.C., O.M., Six-time Olympic medalist and mental health advocate

"Indictment is original, timely, and easy to grasp. Perrin’s conversations with people directly affected by Canada’s criminal justice system, alongside his excellent research, offers compelling arguments for reform. He widens our focus and provides valuable guidance for transforming our understanding of this field."

John Borrows, Loveland Chair in Indigenous Law, University of Toronto Faculty of Law

"Indictment offers a clear, compassionate, and practical vision for a much-needed transformation of the criminal justice system – a system consumed by the over-representation of Indigenous people and other marginalized Canadians. Through their powerful stories we find the key to doing justice better and breaking down the barriers that exist in our society. Building something new is never easy, but when we see this vision realized, it will be well worth it for all Canadians."

Puglaas, The Hon. Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., O.B.C., K.C., former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada