Expanding a community's justice response to sex crimes through advocacy, prosecutorial, and public health collaboration: introducing the RESTORE program.
Problems in criminal justice system response to date-acquaintance rape and nonpenetration sexual offenses include (a) they are markers of a sexual offending career, yet are viewed as minor; (b) perpetrators are not held accountable in ways that reduce reoffense; and (c) criminal justice response disappoints and traumatizes victims. To address these problems, a collaboration of victim services, prosecutors, legal scholars, and public health professionals are implementing and evaluating RESTORE, a victim-driven, community-based restorative justice program for selected sex crimes. RESTORE prepares survivors, responsible persons (offenders), and both parties' families and friends for face-to-face dialogue to identify the harm and develop a redress plan. The program then monitors the offender's compliance for 12 months. The article summarizes empirical data on problems in criminal justice response, defines restorative justice models, and examines outcome. Then the RESTORE program processes and goals are described. The article highlights community collaboration in building and sustaining this program.
Koss
Mary P
MP
University of Arizona, AZ, USA.
Bachar
Karen J
KJ
Hopkins
C Quince
CQ
Carlson
Carolyn
C
D018585:Battered Women / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States