Peace River Regional Restorative Justice

Brief Description

Peace River Restorative Justice Association is a non-profit organization that addresses the needs of people and communities impacted by crime, that employs restorative justice principles and practices to encourage meaningful opportunities for healing, growth, and resolution. Peace River Restorative Justice strives to foster relationships and partnerships that support education and awareness opportunities. Peace River Restorative Justice centers around helping victims get their needs met after an incident of harm and to support offenders to be meaningfully accountable to those they’ve harmed.  Through a tailored restorative process, their compassionate staff facilitate direct or indirect communication between the victim and offender that usually results in an agreement of actions an offender will take to address the harm they caused.

Goals

The main goals of the Peace River Restorative Justice program are to:

•       Foster relationships and partnerships that support education and awareness.

•       Support youth in repairing harm, building accountability, and envisioning a constructive future

•       Encourage meaningful opportunities for healing, growth, and resolution.

Clientele

Peace River Restorative Justice serves youth, ages 12-24, who have committed a criminal offense.

Core Components

Restorative Processes:

1.       Referral - Restorative processes start with a referral from the RCMP, the Crown Prosecutions Office, a school, or community agency.  Individuals can self-refer.  For non-criminal matters, please contact our office for a referral form and to discuss the potential suitability of an incident for a restorative process.

2.       Assessment & Informed Consent - This stage includes speaking with victims, offenders, the referral source, and other formal or informal supports as necessary to gather information that helps us to determine if a case is suitable for restorative justice.  We ensure informed consent to participate is given only after we have thoroughly reviewed our roles and responsibilities with respect to confidentiality, legal safeguards, upholding safety, the restorative justice process, collecting and storing information, and helping victims and offenders understand the potential risks and benefits to participation.

3.       Preparation & Process - During this stage, program facilitators work with victims to determine a process that aims to meet their needs to the greatest extent possible.  There are many ways in which facilitators can support victim needs being met through direct or indirect communication between parties.  Processes often include preparing for a facilitated dialogue with the offender to discuss the harm and impacts caused, and what needs to happen to make things right.  It’s important to note that direct dialogue is only required if requested by a victim. 

Facilitators help prepare offenders by supporting them in understanding how their actions have impacted others.  Offenders are required to take responsibility and actively engage in reflection about their actions, the harm caused, and how they can be meaningfully accountable.

Facilitators may also prepare support people who are invited to participate in any given process by victims and offenders.  These meetings provide information on the process and give supporters the opportunity to share the impacts they’ve experienced and observed of their loved ones, and offer their perspective on what needs to happen to make things right.

4.       Dialogue - Should a face-to-face dialogue be requested, it is held upon completion of thorough preparation of all parties who are invited to attend.  Location, date, and time are determined with consent from all parties.  Facilitators lead a dialogue that focuses on the impacts of the incident, how people have been affected, what peoples’ needs are, and what support may be required for offenders to fulfill their obligations to the victim and, when relevant, the community.

At the end of the dialogue, an agreement that details how the offender can best address the harms resulting from the offence may be created with consensus and facilitator guidance to ensure it is clear, realistic, and does not impose harm or unnecessary hardship.

5.       Completion of Process/Agreement - What constitutes completion of a process or an agreement is determined by the victim and/or the terms and conditions set out in any agreement created.  PRRJ staff and sometimes other supporters who have been part of the process help monitor the agreement.  Regardless of whether an agreement is created, PRRJ staff update victims and the referring source on the progress of a process and once it is complete.

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: Limited information on this topic.
• Partnerships: Stepping UP: Prevention of Domestic Violence, Peace River Women’s Shelter, Crossroads, All interested local schools, Peace Regional Outreach, Project PEACE, Woodland Cree First Nation, Sagitawa Ground Level Youth Program, and RCMP detachments. 
• Training and technical assistance: Limited information on this topic.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: Limited information on this topic.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

Peace River Restorative Justice is operated by the Peace River Restorative Justice Association in the Peace River area. The program offers service in Peace River, Grimshaw, Fairview, Woodland Cree First Nation (Cadotte), Northern Sunrise County, County of Northern Lights, Municipal District of Peace No. 135, and McLennan.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

No information available.

References

There is no Canadian reference available at this time.

For more information on this program, contact:

Website:

https://www.prrestorativejustice.ca/

Contact:

Melanie Freeman, Executive Director

melanie@prrestorativejustice.ca