Christopher Pauchay Sentencing Circle Case Study

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One of the most famous examples of a sentencing circle in use was the tragic case involving the death of two little girls in 2008. Christopher Pauchay, the father, was intoxicated when he took his two little girls out into the freezing cold barely dressed, and as result both froze to death in the harsh Saskatchewan climate. This case drew a lot of attention towards the community’s growing issues with alcohol abuse. The community, YellowQuill First Nation reserve, requested a sentencing circle be held to deal with these issues in a traditional Aboriginal fashion bringing the victim (in this case the mother), the community (which included elders and others), and the offender together. This request was highly controversial, considering the nature