Advancing racial justice in Canada’s criminal justice system.
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute strengthens access to Impact of Race and Culture Assessments, builds practitioner capacity, advances public education, and advocates for systemic change addressing anti-Black racism in the justice system.
Our commitment
Advancing a more equitable criminal legal system for all.
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute addresses anti-Black racism by increasing access to Impact of Race and Culture Assessments, building IRCA Assessor capacity, providing public education, and advocating for systemic change.
Find your starting point
Choose the topic that interests you to find your next step.
Request an Impact of Race and Culture Assessment
VDJI coordinates IRCAs for Black justice-involved individuals across Canada. Use the request form to contact our team about an assessment.
Open the IRCA request formExplore training and mentorship
Explore eligibility, required clinical qualifications, and the training and mentorship pathway offered in English and French.
Explore Training & MentorshipExpress interest in training ↗Understand Impact of Race and Culture Assessments
Explore how IRCAs provide expert clinical context about the effects of systemic racism, discrimination and marginalization.
Read the IRCA FAQsStart a conversation about collaboration
Connect with our team to discuss a project in public education, advocacy, or collaboration.
Contact VDJIPromoting an equitable criminal legal system and society in Canada through awareness, advocacy, and training.
Through advocacy, capacity-building, education, and collaboration, we support the legal system’s recognition of the impacts of anti-Black racism.
Latest from VDJI
All news & updatesVDJI at CABL’s
30th Anniversary Conference
Advocacy and Justice
VDJI took part in a national conversation on anti-Black racism in Canada’s criminal legal system at the Advocacy and Justice Panel.
Read the update 6 photos from the conference
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Mandate, Mission, Vision, & Values
The Viola Desmond Justice Institute (VDJI) is a bilingual B3 service delivery organization dedicated to fostering an equitable criminal justice system in Canada through addressing institutional anti-Black racism and promoting an understanding of the impact of race and culture. VDJI supports the provision, management, and evolution of Impact of Race and Culture Assessments (IRCAs) through the training and mentorship of IRCA Assessors, enhancing the quality and accessibility of IRCAs, and advocating against systemic anti-Black racism.
VDJI is dedicated to justice, education and racial and cultural competence in understanding systemic anti-Black racism. At VDJI, we seek to create meaningful impact and equitable justice for Black individuals involved with the law, with the objective of honouring Viola Desmond’s legacy and the values she stood for: a social and legal landscape free from racial discrimination and systemic barriers.
Viola Desmond
In 1946, Halifax businesswoman Viola Desmond confronted the racism that African Nova Scotians routinely faced when she refused to move from her seat in the “whites-only” section of the Roseland Theatre. For this, she was arrested, jailed overnight, and fined. Her unsuccessful appeal to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia attracted national attention. It confirmed for African-Canadians that the law did not protect them and sparked their activism. Desmond’s resistance to racial discrimination was an important milestone in Canada’s human rights history and an inspiration for the civil rights movement in this country.