Benedict Feist, a lawyer with Norsasklaw located in North Battleford, gave a presentation titled "10 Things You Should Know About Police and Arrests" Wednesday evening at the North Battleford Public Library.
The purpose of the presentation was to educate local residents about their "rights in the criminal justice system when you are stopped by police, arrested, jailed, or in court."
According to data presented by Feist, 80 per cent of Saskatchewan's incarcerated population are indigenous individuals. This statistic becomes even more alarming when Saskatchewan's overall indigenous population — 15 per cent — is taken into account, he said.
The overrepresentation of young, indigenous males in prison is largely due to systemic issues they face, such as poverty, Feist explained. Many people accused of crimes cannot afford to hire legal representation and instead receive legal aid, whose lawyers are often overwhelmed with cases, he added.
The presentation dealt with educating residents about their legal rights Feist said, in part to combat the overrepresentation of indigenous peoples in Saskatchewan's prisons, but the information is applicable to all members of the public.
Feist also noted future plans to bring the presentation to schools in the area.
