Summary
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The Community Justice Forum pre-charge model of Restorative Justice sanctioned by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) operates under three basic process in British Columbia: 1) The first is police-based, where police officers refer, coordinate, and facilitate. This is a simple, quick, and economical process, often preferred by smaller communities where referrals would be manageable.; 2) In a mid-sized community the program can be community-based, where police refer cases; a community volunteer coordinates the program; and, trained community volunteers facilitate the forums. In this structure, a registered society is usually established to oversee the program; and 3) A third structure, adapted by the Nanaimo Royal Canadian Mounted Police Detachment, is the forming of a partnership with an existing non-profit organization, Nanaimo Region John Howard Society. Trained community volunteers facilitate the forums, monitored by a paid coordinator of the Society. The volume of cases referred in a larger urban area of 85,000 people, such as Nanaimo, required innovative strategies. (excerpt)
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