Canada's highest court and First Nations have long wanted, since aboriginals make up 3% of Canada's population, but 20% of its jails and prisons. But, 15 years after sentencing changes to the Criminal Code, and 13 years after Canada's highest court articulated the need for a different kind of justice for natives, the courts have lagged far behind -- with few or no resources to follow through. In April, the court repeated judges are required to follow Gladue principles, even though only a handful of Ontario centres even offer Gladue services. That's not true at the London courthouse. This year, Middlesex, with three First Nations communities just minutes from the city, became only the third Ontario jurisdiction to establish a full Gladue court. McGrath, who helped spearhead the project and recently retired full-time from the bench, was first contacted by Oneida Chief Joel Abram, London family lawyer Christina Ninham and the community's alternative justice committee a year ago. Proceedings got off the ground in January. Unlike in Toronto, most offenders who appear in London -- with a First Nations population of about 10,000 -- have roots in one of the local First Nations communities: the Oneida settlement, Chippewa-on-the-Thames and Munsee-Delaware. Ninham and Abram say that opens a chance for alternative justice programs to help people on and off-reserve reconnect with diversion programs and sentencing circles. "There's so many people who want to be part of their communities, but just don't know where to go," Ninham said. Abram said it's a