|
|
|
Restorative Justice:A Potential Resource for a Community Court in Greater Victoria
Restorative Justice (RJ) is a response to crime that focuses on restoring the losses suffered by victims, holding offenders accountable for the harm they have caused, re-integrating victims and offenders into their community and building peace. During this process, participants often learn signicicant lessons and make decisions to change their lives. e.g. in their health, shelter, and work skills; personal mentoring is an important component.
Restorative Justice in Greater Victoria
There are five community-based RJ programs which have been developed during the last 10 years:.
• Restorative Justice Victoria, coordinated by Geanine Robey; 213-3128 <rjvic@telus.net>
• Restorative Justice Oak Bay, coordinated by Kirsten Chan, 818-7562 <rj.oakbay@gmail.com>
• Peninsula Crossroads Community Justice Program,, Chair Liz Cox, 656-5424 <eocox@shaw.ca>
• Saanich Community Justice Program, coordinated by Laurie Chesworth or Shirley Williams- Yuen, 386-3428 <jhs@johnhoward.victoria.bc.ca>
• Sooke RJ Program, coordinated by Ceri Sanderson, 642-1920 <ceri.sanderson@gov.bc.ca>
Other RJ programs include:
• William Head RJ Coalition, contact David Hough, 479-2774 <houghdd@telus.net>
• West Shore RJ Program, coordinated by RCMP Detachment receptionist, 474-2264
• Salish Healing Justice, coordinated by Susan Langlois, 652-2903
• RJ Infonet, chair, Doreen Hunter, secretary Geanine Robey, 213-3128; website www.rjvictoria.org Sponsor: the Greater Victoria RJ Resource Group, chair Doreen Hunter <djhunter1@telus.net>
Restorative Justice and a Community Court
The RJ community in Greater Victoria has more than 20 active and trained facilitators; they could assist the Community Court in providing its services. Many facilitators have decades of experience in delivering social services; they constitute a substantial resource for the development of the Court’s polices and practices. Once the Court is approved and funded, these facilitators could assist in implementing its decisions.. e.g. mentoring.
To demonstrate our potential contribution to the Court, here are some questions which our members are currently exploring:
1. What is happening in Vancouver?
2. What resources are needed to set up Community Court?
3. How would a Community Court be staffed and funded?
4. What govt. agency would authorize a Community Court?
5. How would cases be selected?
6. What role would RJ play in the Community Court?
7. What Parliamentary Committee(s) should we contact and how?
8. How would a Community Court fit with a strategy for a City of Peace?
9. How does a Community Court work - who initiates process, roles of police, defence, crown, judges. offender and victim?
Conclusion
The RJ community in Greater Victoria believes that we can make a significant contribution to the development and operation of a Community Court for our citizens. We look forward to discovering how best we can accomplish this.
Doreen Hunter, Chair, Greater Victoria RJ Resource Group. May 20/08
Towards a Community Court in Victoria BC
Restorative Justice* programs, advocates and activists, often citizen volunteers in the Greater Victoria Region, endorse a community court initiative which demonstrates the Best Practices of Restorative Justice.
The philosophy and practice of community courts as described on US websites (google Center for Court Innovation) are aligned with the philosophy and practice of restorative justice. In Canada, restorative justice (known also as participatory justice, collaborative justice and healing justice) is based on a dialogue for problem solving between the victim, offender and the community.
To learn from experience in the US, justice officials are quoted as follows:
Fred Bonner, Judge, Seattle Community Court, established in 2005
“The city attorney and the court were looking at ways to address the recycling of individuals who’d be coming through court on quality-of-life issues and reduce our jail population. ....We establish relationships with these people and as a result their attitudes have changed.”
Alex Calabrese, Judge, Red Hook Community Center, established in 2000
“...like other community courts, it (Red Hook) tries to determine the underlying problem that led to the defendant’s criminal behaviour whether it be addiction, homelessness, lack of education or something else. We require defendants to address their problems while at the same time repaying the community they have harmed....the goal is to offer, as much as possible, a coordinated approach to people’s problems.”
Douglas Van Dyk, Judge, Overland Park Community Court, Oregon, est. in 2005
“...Typically the crimes have some social underpinnings, a mix of poverty, unemployment, mental health, and/or drugs and alcohol. We try to identify what the obstacles are to the defendant’ placing their lives on a better path...”
_____________________
* Restorative Justice programs serving the Victoria CRD Region are listed on the reverse. The Best Practices of Restorative Justice engage all parties involved in a criminal offence in dialogue about: What happened? What is the impact of the crime? What amends need to be made to ensure that the victim is satisfied, the offender becomes accountable and community standards for peace and safety are upheld.
Doreen Hunter, Chair, Greater Victoria RJ Resource Group May20/08
|
|
