Our Agency
A leader is best when people barely know he exists; not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worst when they despise him. "Fail to honor people and they will fail to honor you." But of a good leader, who talks little, when the work is done and the aim fulfulled, they people say, "We did this work ourselves."
-Lao Tzu
1 in 100 American Adults in Prison.
1 in 37 involved in the criminal justice system.
There is a better way.
Restorative Justice is an international movement that brings a much-needed way of involving the community in responding to many types of crime. With roots in Victim Advocacy, Restorative Conferences bring together crime victims, offenders, and affected community members in a way that invites dialogue and finding ways to make things as right as possible. In so doing, relationships and communities are often restored to a greater sense of wholeness and justice.
Our agency introduced Restorative Justice to Sonoma County in 2000. Some accomplishments include:
| First Restorative Conference Held in Sonoma County: | July 18, 2001 |
|---|---|
| Offenders Who Have Completed Conferences | 645 |
| Restorative Plans Completed | 558 (91%) |
| Recidivism | 5.6% |
| Victim Satisfaction | 94% |
| Law Enforcement Satisfaction | 98% |
| Reductions in School Suspensions | 50% |
Restorative Resources provides Restorative Conferencing through contracts with the Sonoma County Probation Department and the Sonoma County Juvenile Court. Additional funding is provided by grants from foundations and individual donors. Our High Five campaign highlights our successes and invites you to join us by donating $5.00 per month (or any multiple of $5.00).
In 2008 we began an active affiliation with the International Institute for Restorative Practices, a graduate school in Bethlehem, PA. Together, our agencies are exploring ways to expand the reach of restorative practices in Sonoma County and Northern California. Restorative practices are a development that expands upon restorative justice principles with proactive approaches to building resilient communities, especially in schools.
Together with Recourse Mediation Services we have created a continuum of restorative services for Sonoma County. In 2010-11 we will be launching a Sonoma County Restorative Justice Coalition. The initial vision for the coalition is to bring together the various agencies, schools, and individuals who are committed to restorative justice. We will host series of community forums to get community input and to help build a stronger constituency of informed advocates for restorative practices. We're very interested to see how the Coalition grows.
Source data for Americans in Prison and under Control of Justice System" Pew Center for the States.
| Evaluation Findings (click image for details) |
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Law enforcements officers give positive ratings to their experiences with restorative conferences |
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Crime victims are very positive about restorative conferences, finding it meaningful, fair, and addressing the impacts of the crime. |