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Cameron, Angela. Restorative Justice: A Literature Review

This literature review will examine whether current research shows restorative justice to be a safe, effective criminal justice response to cases of intimate partner violence in Canada. ‘Restorative justice’ will be defined in the literature review itself, through an examination of relevant literature and practice. ‘Intimate partner violence’ will be discussed as defined by British Columbia’s Violence Against Women in Relationships Policy (VAWIR). For the sake of brevity, the term ‘intimate violence’ will be used. The term “victim’ will refer generally to victims of crime, including crimes of intimate violence. The term ‘survivor’ will refer specifically to victims of crimes of intimate violence. The primary focus of this research paper will be on adults. Where available materials analyzing intersectionalities such as race, ethnicity, culture, (dis)ability, sexual orientation, age, and poverty will be included. Where there is a significant body of literature (for instance regarding Aboriginal peoples), a separate analysis will be included. (excerpt)

Collaborative Justice Project. Lessons Learned in the Collaborative Justice Project

The Collaborative Justice Project (CJP) is a demonstration project in the Judicial District of Ottawa-Carleton that began in September 1998. The aim of the project is to show how a restorative approach in cases of serious crime can deliver more satisfying justice to victims, offenders, and communities. It is an initiative of the Church Council on Justice and Corrections (CCJC), a Canadian coalition of faith-based individuals and churches advocating for a more humane way to practice criminal justice. This short document lists, with brief explanations, some chief lessons learned from the operation of the CJP. These lessons include, among others, the value of providing more information to victims, offenders, and communities; the need for much more public education about restorative justice; and a restorative model can work within the current justice system, however difficult it is to do so.

County of Santa Clara Family Conference Institute. Santa Clara Family Conference Model (FCM) Executive Summary

The Santa Clara family conference model (FCM) originated in 1996 as a response to the need for families to contribute to the improvement of safety and protection of children in their care. The Santa Clara FCM is a form of family group decision-making (FGDM); this FCM is an adaptation of prototypes from New Zealand and Oregon (USA). This document provides an overview of the principles and processes of FCM, as well as a summary of key findings from a four-year evaluation of Santa Clara’s FCM program. The findings cover perceptions about the Santa Clara FCM from staff members and family participants, and outcomes from FCM processes in the Santa Clara program.

Edwards, Myles and Tinworth, Kathleen. Family Team Meeting (FTM) Process, Outcome, and Impact Evaluation.

This report presents the initial work of the External Evaluation Team for the Family Team Meeting (FTM) Program at the District of Columbia Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA). The outcomes and progress of the process evaluation, the impact evaluation, and the fiscal impact statement form the content of this report. This external evaluation addresses requirements of the District of Columbia’s Child in Need of Protection Act of 2004 for an “independent process and impact evaluation” of FTMs and the extension to 72-hours for holding the court proceedings regarding the removal of a child. Initial evaluation activities were qualitative in nature and conducted in the summer of 2005 and have described the implementation period and the views of a cross section of key informants. The evaluation is conducted by the Research and Evaluation unit of American Humane and a separate Advisory and Assistance Group of university-based and private-organization researchers. (ecerpt)

Hughes, S and Schneider, A.. Victim-Offender Mediation: A Survey of Program Characteristics and Perceptions of Effectiveness

This survey of 240 juvenile justice organizations in the U.S. investigates the characteristics and effectiveness of victim-offender mediation. Mediation programs were most often governed by private/nonprofit organizations and received referrals primarily from the court or probation/intake officials. The majority of mediators were paid staff members who were almost always trained in mediation. The final contract usually involved monetary restitution to the victim, and this was monitored in most cases. Programs were not usually evaluated. In general, staff workers were less optimistic than program administrators in assessing the effectiveness of mediation, and more positive concerning the effects of incarceration and probation.

LeCroy and Milligan Associates, Inc.. Family Group Decision Making: Third Annual Evaluation Report

Used in child welfare contexts, family group decision making (FGDM) is a model and strategy for focusing on family strengths and capacity for change rather than on family problems and deficits. FGDM involves bringing together extended family members to develop a plan of safety and placement for children in families referred to child protective services. This document reports the results of a third-year evaluation of the Family Group Decision Making Program of the Arizona Department of Economic Security. The evaluation report includes a number of components: a description of the current legislative requirements in Arizona; a review of relevant literature; program implementation information based on surveys, site visits, and staff interviews; descriptive data; outcomes for participating families; and conclusions and recommendations based on the evaluation. Additionally, the report contains many appendices with program information, statistical data, and assessment tools underlying the evaluation.

Mandell, Deena and Sullivan, Nancy and Meredith, Grahame and Sullivan, Nancy. Family Group Conferencing: Final Evaluation Report

This document reports the final evaluation of a three-year pilot project of family group conferencing in Etobicoke. A collaborative effort of four child welfare organizations in Etobicoke and the Toronto area, the family group conferencing pilot lasted from October 1998 to April 2001. The aim was to establish a model of family group conferencing that would function successfully by providing good and effective child welfare services in the Toronto area. This report covers the following topics: background to the pilot project; the origins of family group conferencing; specifics of the structure of the Etobicoke Family Group Conferencing Project; the evaluation’s findings with respect to outcomes, benefits, challenges, and costs of the conferences; the development of a referral system; and projection of next steps for the project.

McCold, Paul and Wachtel, Benjamin. The Bethlehem Pennsylvania Police Family Group Conferencing Project

This is a report on the Bethlehem Pennsylvania Police Family Group Conferencing Project. First-time moderately serious juvenile offenders were randomly assigned either to formal adjudication or to a diversionary "restorative policing" process called family group conferencing. Police-based family group conferencing employs trained police officers to facilitate a meeting attended by juvenile offenders, their victims, and their respective family and friends, to discuss the harm caused by the offenderxe2x80x99s actions and to develop an agreement to repair the harm. Victim and offender participation is voluntary. The effect of the program was measured through surveys of victims, offenders, offenderxe2x80x99s parents and police officers and by examining outcomes of conferences and formal adjudication. Results are related to six questions about restorative policing. Findings include: 42% participation rate, 100% of conferences (n=67) reaching an agreement, 94% of offenders (n=80) fully complying with agreements, and participant satisfaction and sense of fairness exceeding 96%. Results suggests that recidivism was more a function of offenders choice to participate than the effects of the conferencing, per se. Violent offenders participating in conferences had lower rearrest rates than violent offenders declining to participate, but this was not true for property offenders.

McCold, Paul. Evaluation of a Restorative Milieu: Replication and Extension for 2001-2003 Discharges

The Community Service Foundation and Buxmont Academy operate eight school-day treatment programs, 16 residential group homes, a home and community supervision program and an intensive drug-and-alcohol treatment supervision program in southeastern Pennsylvania for adjudicated delinquent and at-risk youths. All of these programs utilize what are broadly termed "restorative practices." This researcher has coined the term "restorative milieu" because the culture comprised of many formal and informal restorative techniques and processes, not just isolated formal restorative justice interventions. This paper reports on the replication and extension of a previous evaluation, with a second wave of 858 day treatment discharges during school years 2001-02 and 2002-03. The original finding of a significant reduction in reoffending for youths participating three months or more in a CSF Buxmont Academy restorative environment was replicated with a new cohort of youths and was still evident for the original cohort at two years following discharge. (excerpt)

McCormick, Anna C. Confronting the Past and Building a Future: Peacemaking Circles in a Northern Canadian Community

The most significant changes in the administration of youth justice, based on a transformative philosophy, are occurring in First Nations communities, in response to a history of oppression, near-genocide, culture conflict with, and proven ineffectiveness of the Western criminal justice system. In efforts to reassert power and take responsibility for local issues, address crime and victimization, build community, revive traditional values, increase community capacity and self-sufficiency, create a healthier reality for future generations, and prepare for eventual self-government, one primarily First Nations community in the Yukon has developed and implemented peacemaking circles. This thesis is a result of field research conducted in this community. Based on participant observation and interviews with community justice practitioners, community members, justice personnel, young offenders and victims who have experienced peacemaking circles, it explores several individual, community, and system level challenges which may affect the potential of circles to accomplish objectives. The initiative operates within a community and political environment that is plagued by misinformation, skepticism, mistrust, resistance, apathy, dysfunctionality, power imbalances, state paternalism, and minimal ideological and financial support. Project evaluations cannot be imposed from the outside, before these issues have the opportunity to be addressed, or before the initiative has sufficient time to reach long-term objectives. Failure to address these and other issues could be devastating to the entire restorative justice movement, and doom communities to continued intervention by and subordination to an ineffective and oppressive retributive justice system. Author's abstract.

McGarrell, Edmund F and Hipple, Natalie Kroovand. Family Group Conferencing and Re-Offending Among First-Time Juvenile Offenders: The Indianapolis Experiment.

n an assessment of treatment, this study examined prevalence patterns of reoffending among first-time juvenile offenders involved in family group conferences (FGC) in Indianapolis, IN.The results of the Indianapolis Restorative Justice Experiment using family group conferences (FGC) for first-time juvenile offenders were largely positive. The findings indicate that youths participating in FGC survive longer before being rearrested over a 24-month period. In addition, youths participating in conferences had significantly lower incidence rates. The results indicate the need for continued experimentation and study of the role of restorative justice practices and FGC in the justice system. Restorative justice processes and family group conferences in particular have become increasingly common in justice system practices across the world. In a family group conference, after admission of responsibility by the offender, they, the victim, and the supporters of both the offender and victim are brought together. They are brought together with a trained facilitator to discuss the incident and the harm brought to the victim. The FGC provides an opportunity for the victim to explain how they have been harmed and ask questions of the offender. This study addressed the reoffending among youths involved in FGC. Nearly 800 youths participated in the experiment and the cases were tracked for 24 months following their initial arrest. (Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov).

Northwest Institute for Children and Families. Connected and Cared For: Using Family Group Conferencing for Children in Group Care. Phase I: Retrospective Study, Evaluation Findings

In the child welfare system, children in residential treatment and group care facilities are the neediest. Cases for children in group care are among the most difficult to resolve. For these children – whether they will eventually live with their family again, or they will never live with their family again – family remains of great significance. Yet, for various reasons, their family is rarely included in case planning or intervention processes. Many, therefore, reach independence at age 18 with no family support network. In this context, the Northwest Institute for Children and Families studied and evaluated the effectiveness of family group conferencing (FGC) on behalf of high needs youth in residential care settings in Washington State. This document presents the Institute’s 'Phase One Evaluation' findings. These are results based on a retrospective study of a number of conferences for youth in group care placements between 1998 and 2001.

Pennell, Joan and Burford, Gale. Family Group Decision Making Project Outcome Report Summary.

In concept and practice, family group decision making (FGDM) aims to build partnerships among family, community, and government to protect children and adults and to promote their well being. Joan Pennell and Gale Burford in this document report on outcomes of a family group decision making demonstration project in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada. They explain the need for research on outcomes, FGDM processes, and the research process and measures. All of this leads to summaries of actual outcomes of the FGDM project in Newfoundland and Labrador, including testimonials from participants in the project. Through a list of relevant publications, video tapes, and references on FGDM at the end of the document, Pennell and Burford provide additional resources for those interested in further research.

Pfeifer, Jeffrey and Skakun, Kim. Regina Auto Theft Strategy: Process Evaluation.

In 2001-2002 various governmental agencies began a collaboration to reduce the incidence of young offender auto theft in Regina, Saskatchewan. The objectives are to reduce such theft through the following strategies: strict supervision and control of youth who are at risk of re-offending; a combination of enforcement and rehabilitation; and early intervention and education in crime and its consequences. The Saskatchewan Department of Corrections and Public Safety commissioned the Canadian Institute of Peace, Justice and Security to conduct a process evaluation of the Regina Auto Theft Strategy. In this document, the evaluators report their results of their evaluation in the following areas: an analysis of program foundations to establish original intent, goals, and philosophy; an analysis of the current goals, philosophies, and practices; a comparison of the original program to the current program; and the development and clear articulation of key measures.

Pranis, Kay. Restorative Justice in Minnesota and the USA: Implementation and Outcomes

Restorative justice is not a particular programme or a fixed set of practices. It is a framework for guiding our actions in large and small ways in every part of the justice system. Additionally, restorative justice places a high value on: 1) empowering those closest to the problem (including the offender) to design a specific solution tailored to the problem and 2) viewing every problem as an opportunity to learn. Consequently, fluid, flexible approaches are essential to maintain the spirit of restorative justice – to leave key decisions to the stakeholders and to continually incorporate new learnings. So, in many ways restorative justice is a journey, more than it is a destination. If the journey is guided by the principles and values of restorative justice, the destination may be one that no one anticipated, but it will be one that serves all the stakeholders. So, questions of implementation take a different form than in many other kinds of change in public systems. There is no single path toward a restorative vision. There is no blueprint with precise instructions for how to do it. The path must be responsive to the particular context of each community and to opportunities as they emerge and must always be rooted in the values of respect, self determination , mutual responsibility and inclusion. There are, however, conditions which increase the likelihood of success in implementation efforts. (excerpt)

Richardson, G. and Galaway, Burt and Joubert, Michelle D. and Galaway, Burt. Restorative Resolutions Project: An Alternative to Incarceration

This article describes Canada's Restorative Resolutions Project and the extent to which it has been active and successful as an alternative to incarceration. A restorative system of justice builds on offender strengths, expects offenders to make improvements in their own lives and their communities, and involves offenders and victims in decisionmaking. The Restorative Resolution program develops restorative plans with serious adult felony offenders and their victims; the plans are presented to the Court at the time of sentencing with a recommendation that the offender be sentenced to complete the restorative plan rather than to prison. During the first 18 months the project received 115 referrals from which 67 were accepted. Plans were developed for 84 percent of accepted offenders. Restorative elements such as restitution and service to the community were less likely to be included in the plans than were counseling and self-help activities. The judges accepted 81 percent of the plans presented. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.

Rodriguez, Nancy. Restorative Justice at Work: Examining the Impact of Restorative Justice Resolutions on Juvenile Recidivism.

Programs with restorative justice ideals attempt to incorporate victims and community members into the administration of justice. Although these programs have become increasingly popular, only a few programs in the United States have been the focus of prior studies. Using official juvenile court data from an urban, metropolitan area, this study finds that juveniles who participated in a restorative justice program were less likely to recidivate than juveniles in a comparison group. Also, gender and prior offenses indirectly influence recidivism in important ways. Girls and offenders with minimal criminal history records exhibit the most success from participating in such programs. Findings demonstrate the importance of examining additive and interactive effects in restorative justice research. (author's abstract)

Rugge, Tanya A and Bonta, James and Wallace-Capretta, Suzanne and Bonta, James. Evaluation of the Collaborative Justice Project: A Restorative Justice Program for Serious Crime.

The Collaborative Justice Project (CJP) is a demonstration project running in the Ottawa area that employs a restorative justice approach in cases of serious crime. The CJP introduces a process that runs parallel to the legal justice system; a process that is designed to offer individual support to victims, assist the accused in taking responsibility for the harm caused, and provide parties with an opportunity to work together towards an appropriate resolution proposal. Criteria for acceptance into the program were as follows: (1) the crime was serious in nature, (2) at least one victim was interested in receiving assistance, and (3) the accused has accepted responsibility by entering a guilty plea and has indicated a desire to make amends. The CJP’s program goal is to empower individuals affected by crime to achieve satisfying justice through a restorative approach. The goals of this evaluation were threefold: (1) to determine whether a restorative approach can be applied in cases of serious crime at the pre-sentence stage of the criminal justice system, (2) to determine whether the CJP successfully met its mandate and program goals, and (3) to expand the empirical base regarding restorative justice research. (excerpt)

Samuels, Fae Ernestine. The Peer Mediation Process in Secondary Schools

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice and the impact of peer mediation in eight secondary schools. This research is the first to investigate peer mediation in secondary schools. In doing so, it sought to give the peer mediators and other students a "voice." The students explained the peer mediation process, the effects on their personal lives, relationships, school climate and families. The thirty-three participants of the study include eight mediators, two disputants, two non-disputants, six students who refused mediation, seven teachers, one non-teacher and seven administrators. Three students refused to be interviewed. All student participants were eighteen years of age when interviewed. The method employed is qualitative. A personal interview was conducted with each mediator and disputant to investigate what happens during the mediation process, their satisfaction with the process and the impact it is having on them and the school community. Teachers, coordinators of the peer mediation programs and administrators were also interviewed individually to get their perception of the program's impact on the mediators, disputants, other students and the school climate. Data gathered were analysed in four stages. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and the categories and themes were identified and sorted. The findings indicate that peer mediation provides one of the best opportunities for creating peaceful schools. The study is significant because it verifies and brings to the forefront ten issues that are important to the field of peer mediation and conflict resolution. Author's abstract.

Sandau-Beckler, Pat. El Paso County. Familias Primero: Family Group Conferencing. 2003 Project Evaluation.

The Familias Primero Family Group Conferencing Project is a model court initiative of the 65th Judicial District Children’s Court in El Paso, Texas. Family group conferencing (FGC) is a process whereby child welfare services collaborate with the family, and the extended family and its support network, in the decision-making and development of plans for the care and protection of the children. An evaluation of the El Paso FGC program was conducted in the spring of 2003, with the period being evaluated covering January 2002 through March 2003. The report on the evaluation includes an in-depth analysis of the experiences of this entire FGC program. Some of the specific areas evaluated, especially with respect to outcomes, were the following: family communication; family strengths development; family resource development; goal setting and case management; compliance; and family permanency.