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Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice Diversion (RJD)
RJD is a voluntary, person-harmed-centered approach to resolving court cases. In partnership with Juvenile Court Judge, Sheila Calloway; District Attorney General, Glenn Funk; Public Defender, Martesha Johnson; and Police Chief, John Drake, we join a national restorative justice movement proven to be highly effective in addressing the needs of people harmed by crime and lowering rates of youth violence, arrests and repeat offenses.
At Raphah Institute, RJD focuses on the following youth-related harms:
- Aggravated Burglary
- Felony Theft
- Theft of a Vehicle
- Simple Robbery
- Auto Burglary.
We facilitate voluntary conversations between the person harmed in a case and the youth responsible for that harm. Together, they talk about the harm, its impact, and explore how the youth can repair it, to the greatest extent possible. Our goal is to give both parties the option and opportunity to experience healing and positive transformation.
Once a case is referred to us from juvenile court, we contact all parties and inform them that their case has been diverted from the court to the RJDP. Once all parties agree to participate, we work with them separately, in a highly supported and committed relationship with a Restorative Justice Facilitator, as they seek to understand what has happened. For the person harmed, this involves exploring the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs that this harm has created in their life and what healing and repair would look like. For the youth, this involves understanding and taking true accountability for causing the harm, learning how to take responsibility for repairing it as much as possible, and committing to never do it again.
Once all parties are willing and ready, we bring them together for a Community Restoration Meeting (formerly Restorative Community Conference) that includes them and their supporters. Here, the parties share their stories with one another and then work together to create a plan for how the youth will repair the harm caused. Once this restoration plan is complete, the case is closed.
