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Restorative Community
Service
Community Service has long been seen as an appropriate way for offenders to “make amends” for minor crimes. Historically, an obstacle that has prevented community service from being as beneficial as it could be has been the mind set with which many offenders approach such service. Young offenders often view community service solely as a punishment handed down to them by a judge or probation officer, as something to be tolerated, suffered through and completed with as little effort as possible. In these instances, the youth rarely makes any connection between the harm they have caused and the service they are rendering. Offenders often see themselves as victims of an unfair system, being made to complete meaningless tasks. In such a context, neither the offenders, the victims, nor the community are receiving anything of value.
At CJI we have a different perspective on the purpose and value of community service. We believe the potential benefits can only fully be realized when the service is done from a Restorative Justice perspective.Restorative Justice is focussed on meaningful outcomes for offenders, victims and the community. A restorative response to crime focuses on what needs to be repaired, what needs to be healed, and what needs to be learned.
Restorative Community Service is about:
Accountability: It allows young offenders to see the service as a personal obligation to make amends for the harm done, not as a punishment.
Integration: It creates and maintains a positive working relationship with other community members while carrying out service that is meaningful and valued by victims and/or the community.
Transformation: It helps young offenders to see themselves as valuable, contributing members of the community. It helps the community see young offenders as individuals who are capable of making a positive contribution, and it helps citizens see themselves as capable of helping to create a safe community.
How do Victims Benefit?
Restorative Community Service focuses on the accountability of youth who offend and on changing their future behaviour and thinking. These objectives are viewed by many victims as the two most important goals for our justice system. They want offenders to learn from the offense and to never again victimize other people. In addition, victims of crime have voiced a desire to see offenders become better people—people who will contribute in positive ways to the community.
How
does it work?
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Young people who have caused harm meet with program staff and are prepared for community service through a discussion that helps them understand community service as both a personal obligation and an opportunity to make amends for the harm done.
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Program staff work with the youth, with
input from the victim where appropriate, to determine the type of community service placement that would be most appropriate and meaningful. Staff then facilitate and monitor the placement and the completion of the assigned community service hours.
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Community organizations help by providing opportunities for meaningful accountability, integration and trans-formation. In particular, these are projects that enable youth to work in partnership with community members. The personal contacts and relationships that emerge from these partnerships are crucial to making community service truly restorative.
How can you help?
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Provide a project, large or small, where
a young person who has offended may work along side other community members to accomplish a meaningful task.
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Work alongside the youth, not as a supervisor or boss but as a community
co-worker. Engage them in conversation, work with them, encourage and commend good work.
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Give of yourself. You are the greatest asset the community has to address crime in an effective and meaningful way. Allowing youth who offend to be accountable by having them contribute service of value draws them into the fabric of the
community. This in itself is one of the most effective long-term crime prevention responses. No one can do that job better than you, a member of the community.
Restorative
Community Service is funded by the Ministry for Children and Families in
partnership with Family and Youth
Services Society (Langley) and Pacific
Community Resources (Surrey).
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Fraser
Region