Restorative%20Justice

1
Restorative Justice

• Presentation to the
• Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission
• April 13, 2015
• Judy Clarke, Executive Director, Virginia Center
  For Restorative Justice
• Mark Crowley, Executive Director, Try This
• Lawrie Parker, Executive Director, Piedmont
  Dispute Resolution Center

2
Defining Restorative Justice

• A theory of justice that focuses on repairing the
  harm that a criminal offense inflicts on victims
  (direct and indirect), offenders, and communities
  of care.
• Source Virginia State Crime Commission
  powerpoint presentation
• September 16, 2009

3
Defining Restorative Justice

• In general, RJ aims to
• --Involve all key stakeholders in the justice
  process
• --Balance the needs of all stakeholders
• --Hold the offender accountable for their
  actions
• --Insure victim satisfaction and reduced levels
  of fear
• --Benefit the community and repair the overall
  harm caused by the criminal offense.
• Source Virginia State Crime Commission
  powerpoint presentation
• September 16, 2009

4
Defining Restorative Justice

• Points of Referral to RJ programs can include
• --Informal/School
• --Pretrial
• --Sentencing
• --During incarceration or,
• --Probation/Re-entry
• Source Virginia State Crime Commission
  powerpoint presentation
• September 16, 2009

5
Restorative Justice Outcomes

• Evaluations of RJ initiatives have found
  substantial reductions in recidivism for both
  violent and property crimes.
• Evidence consistently suggested that victims
  benefit, on average, from face-to-face RJ
  conferences.
• Source Virginia State Crime Commission
  powerpoint presentation
• September 16, 2009

6
Report Conclusions

• Restorative justice-based programs have been
  operating in Virginia since the 1980s with
  promising outcomes for victims, offenders, and
  communities of care.
• It is evident that more consistent, rigorous
  program evaluations be conducted. Such
  evaluations need to examine specific performance
  outcomes, including
• Rates of recidivism
• Victims and communities perceived fairness
  and,
• Cost (any reduction in cost compared to
  traditional approach).
• Source Virginia State Crime Commission
  powerpoint presentation--September 16, 2009

7
Restorative Justice Work Group

• Purpose Improve public safety in communities
  located throughout the Commonwealth by empowering
  each community to participate in the criminal
  justice process through the use of restorative
  justice evidenced-based practices.
• Initial Meeting Wednesday, April 15, 2015 at the
  Department of Criminal Justice Services

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Restorative Justice Work Group

• Step 1 Implement restorative justice
  evidenced-based practices in schools, juvenile
  courts, juvenile detention centers, jails and
  prisons to improve public safety in our
  communities, reduce juvenile recidivism and the
  cost of juvenile corrections.
• Step 2 Research, report and develop a
  restorative justice model for implementation
  throughout the Commonwealth to include a basis of
  metrics designed to prove the validity or success
  of such program.
•  
• Step 3 Seek funding for the establishment of an
  Office of Restorative Justice and a statewide
  restorative justice program model.

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• Discussion