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Restorative Justice Panels
People referred to Restorative Justice Panels participate in a restorative process in which they are asked to
Who is Referred
People may be referred for a restorative response through a number of programs:
The MCJC has seven Montpelier Restorative Justice Panel meetings a month, plus two each in Waterbury and Northfield, where trained volunteers meet with people who have offended and their victims, if any, to talk about what happened, identify who was harmed and how, and collaboratively create an agreement to make amends and not reoffend. Panel members help everyone communicate and make the meeting as comfortable as possible. Meetings are held in a community setting. They are structured, but informal.
Community volunteers run the meeting, which lasts about an hour. Everyone has a chance to talk in turn about
Studies show that people who are placed on reparative probation instead of traditional probation are less likely to reoffend. In Vermont, researchers showed that those on reparative probation were 23% less likely to commit another crime than those sentenced to traditional probation, and were 12% less likely to commit another crime after probation ended. The authors of Reparative Versus Standard Probation: Community Justice Outcomes (PDF) tracked 5-year reoffending rates of more than 9,000 persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes between 1998-2000.
Visit the Volunteer! page if you are interested in volunteering to be a Restorative Justice Panel member.
- Admit wrong doing and talk about it
- Learn about the effects of the crime on others
- Work with others to design and carry out a plan for making amends and for making better choices in the future
- Attend a meeting and participate in the conversation
- Give information in writing to be shared with the person who offended
- Give information in writing to panel members only
- Not participate at all
Who is Referred
People may be referred for a restorative response through a number of programs: - Reparative Probation--adjudicated in court, found guilty and sentenced to a restorative meeting in addition to being supervised by a Probation Officer
- Restorative Justice Alternative (pre-charge)--referred for a restorative response prior to being charged for the offense. These referrals primarily come from local police departments or schools.
- Restorative Justice Alternative (charged)--referred for a restorative response after being charged but instead of being adjudicated in court.
Restorative Justice Panel Meetings
The Basics of a Restorative Justice Panel Meeting
- Focus on the effect of the wrongdoing--on individuals and community.
- Give victims/survivors a chance to ask questions and tell about how they have been harmed.
- Have a conversation about what happened.
- Work together on a plan for the person who has offended to do what he/she can to make amends for the past and make better choices for the future.
What Happens at a Meeting
Community volunteers run the meeting, which lasts about an hour. Everyone has a chance to talk in turn about
- What happened
- Who was affected
- How people, including the community, were affected
- What the person who offended will do to make amends
- What the person who offended will do to keep from committing future offenses
- Attend a class to learn about the impact of the incident
- Do volunteer work to create a connection with community
- Fix damaged property
- Write letters of explanation and apology
What Happens after the Meeting
- The person who offended returns to a Review Meeting to show that he or she did everything in the agreement
- Unless decided otherwise, the person who offended will have two months to complete activities included in the Restorative Justice Agreement
- Victims/survivors are invited to the Review Meeting
How it Makes a Difference
Studies show that people who are placed on reparative probation instead of traditional probation are less likely to reoffend. In Vermont, researchers showed that those on reparative probation were 23% less likely to commit another crime than those sentenced to traditional probation, and were 12% less likely to commit another crime after probation ended. The authors of Reparative Versus Standard Probation: Community Justice Outcomes (PDF) tracked 5-year reoffending rates of more than 9,000 persons convicted of misdemeanor crimes between 1998-2000.
Want to Serve on a Restorative Justice Panel?
Visit the Volunteer! page if you are interested in volunteering to be a Restorative Justice Panel member.
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Carol Plante
DirectorPhone: 802-522-5566
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Alfred Mills
Reentry SpecialistPhone: 802-279-9467
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Eva Zimet
Outreach SpecialistPhone: 802-522-7341
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Community Justice Center
Physical Address
39 Main Street
Lower Level
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: 802-223-9606