Abbotsford Restorative Justice & Advocacy Association. Abbotsford City Council Report 2012

Transcription

1 Abbotsford Restorative Justice & Advocacy Association Abbotsford City Council Report 2012

2 Crime is a violation of people and relationships Violations create obligations and the focus is on the offender taking responsibility for the harm done. Restorative Justice brings crime back to a community and personal level. Victim needs and safety are priority throughout the entire process which is in stark contrast to the adversarial nature of the court system

3 Crime defined by violation of rules Harms defined abstractly State is the victim State and offender as primary parties Victims needs and rights minimally included Interpersonal dimension irrelevant Offence is defined in technical, legal terms Crime defined by harm to people and relationships Harms defined concretely People and relationships as victims Victim and offender seen as primary parties Victim s needs and rights are central Interpersonal dimensions are central Offence is understood in full context: moral, social, economic and political

4 Goal: To hold the offender accountable for his/her behaviour while repairing the harm done to the victim. Process: Bring together the offender, victim and other affected parties, under the guidance of trained mediators/conference facilitators All participants have a chance to speak and be heard with the objective of developing a plan for a resolution agreeable to all

5 Cost effective Time and cost savings compared to the court system Utilize and access community resources and volunteers Police time reduced Lower recidivism rates

6 1. Facilitates reconciliation between victims, offenders and their community 2. Empathy is built powerful disincentive for re-offending 3. Underlying concerns are addressed participants needs are recognized and they are referred or connected with appropriate community resources

7 In 2011, we received 98 file referrals from the Abbotsford Police Department Over 500 Participants... Victims, Offenders, Family Supporters, Community Members, Volunteers and ARJAA Staff.

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9 20 Mediators 20 Mentors 15 Board Members 1- I.T. Volunteer

10 Children and youth who have a mentor are: Less likely to initiate drug use Less likely to initiate alcohol use Less likely to skip class at school Less likely to engage in aggressive behaviours

11 Restorative Action Programs are funded by School District #34 bringing the principles and interventions of Restorative Justice to school based situations of bullying, harassment, conflict and wrong doing. Through these programs we work inconcert with the efforts of the APD and their Youth Squad to comprehensively address youth crime by addressing the root causes and negative behaviours with timely and powerful preventative interventions.

12 This process has proven to have a significant impact on changing a young person s perspective and understanding and becomes a powerful deterrent to reoffending. Bob Rich, APD Chief Constable ARJAA is a valued partner of the APD and their work is directly connected to our police department s ability to achieve its mission: To make Abbotsford the Safest City in BC! Casey Vinet, Sergeant APD Crime Prevention/ Youth Squad

13 ARJAA is an effective crime prevention strategy and intervention that offers many benefits for local businesses and the community because it deals with the root causes of crime. It is a process outside of the court system that ensures a high level of accountability for the offender and support for the victim. There is an opportunity for sponsorship in ARJAA's "Adopt-A-Case Campaign" which will allow you to maintain the benefits of reduced crime in Abbotsford. Rick Rake, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce I have learned that my decisions impact a lot of people. This process has made me re-evaluate my friendships and how their actions influence me. Young Offender

14 "Whether you are looking at Restorative Justice from a theoretical perspective, victim satisfaction perspective, offender learning perspective, or from the perspective of how we as a community can impact on offender recidivism and the costs associated to that, there are few criminal justice initiatives which can match its impact. In fact, the only failing of Restorative Justice is that we simply don't use it as an intervention broadly enough and often enough. Today, where there is a greater need than ever to reduce the cost of the administration of justice, we should be looking at expanding restorative justice programs as a way to help governments do that." Dr. Darryl Plecas, RCMP Research Chair & Director, Centre for Public Safety & Criminal Justice Research, Criminology & Criminal Justice UFV