Center For Community Justice Incorporated

PROVIDE PROGRAMS BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE WHICH STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY SAFETY, PROVIDES SUPPORT AND COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS, AIDS IN THE RESTORATION OF OFFENDERS, AND PROMOTES RECONCILIATION IN THE COMMUNITY.

VICTIM OFFENDER RECONCILIATION PROGRAM VORP - VORP HAS BEEN A CORE SERVICE PROVIDED BY CCJ FOR OVER 40 YEARS. IT PROVIDES A SAFE ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS SURVIVORS OF CRIME TO MEET THE PERSON OR PERSONS WHO COMMITTED THE CRIME IN THE PRESENCE OF A TRAINED MEDIATOR. THUS PROVIDING SURVIVORS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THE HEALING PROCESS WHILE ALLOWING THOSE WHO HAVE DONE HARM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND MAKE AMENDS. OVER 1,000,000 HAS BEEN RETURNED TO SURVIVORS OF CRIME IN THE FORM OF REPARATIONS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS BY THOSE WHO CAUSED THE HARM.

THE VILLAGE COMMUNITY CENTER (TVCC): THIS PROGRAM IS CREATE A MULTI-SERVICE CENTER IN THE ROOSEVELT CENTER IN SOUTH CENTRAL ELKHART. THE CENTER WILL BE MANAGED BY TWO MEN WHO ARE, BY DEFINITION, CREDIBLE MESSENGERS, IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL ELKHART COMMUNITY. THESE MANAGERS WILL INVITE PARTICIPANTS FROM THE COMMUNITY INTO TVCC TO ENGAGE THEM IN WORK AND ACTIVITIES THAT WILL ENCOURAGE POSITIVE LONG-TERM CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND PERSONAL SUCCESS. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INVITED TO ENROLL IN THE ALTERNATIVE TO VIOLENCE PROJECT (AVP), A NATIONAL PROJECT THAT TEACHES CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS AS WELL AS OTHER SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS THAT WILL PREPARE THEM FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SUCCESSFUL WORK EXPERIENCES. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INVITED TO ENROLL IN THE HELP INCREASE THE PEACE; HELP OPPOSE PREJUDICE (HIP HOP) MUSIC PROGRAM WHICH TEACHES THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MUSICIAN AS WELL AS BECOMING A PRODUCTIVE, ENGAGED CITIZEN. PARTICIPANTS WILL FIND THEMSELVES IN A WELCOMING, SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT ENCOURAGES AND EMPOWERS THEM TO REACH FOR THEIR DREAMS. THE ASSUMPTIONS BEHIND THIS PROGRAM ARE: 1). BELONGING IS THE FIRST STEP TO SUCCESS; 2) CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE POSITIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT; 3) WORK-READINESS WILL BE POSSIBLE WHEN PEOPLE LEARN NEW JOB SKILLS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THEIR OWN ASPIRATIONAL GOALS.

TRANSITION RECOVERY COACHING PROGRAM (TRC): THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE WHO ARE RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES IN ELKHART COUNTY. THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR VISITS PEOPLE WHO ARE INCARCERATED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF RE-ENTRY EVEN BEFORE THEY ARE RELEASED. THE PROGRAM TRAINS AND SUPPORTS VOLUNTEER COACHES WHO HELP FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE TO SET AND MEET PERSONAL GOALS THAT ALLOW THEM TO BECOME CONTRIBUTING CITIZENS OF ELKHART COUNTY. VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT THE PERSON WHO IS RE-ENTERING AS LONG AS THE SUPPORT IS NEEDED, SURROUNDING THIS PERSON WITH NON-JUDGMENTAL CARE AS THEY RETURN TO THE DEMANDS OF LIFE OUTSIDE OF PRISON. THERE IS CURRENTLY A WAITING LIST FOR THIS PROGRAM.

VICTIM IMPACT PANEL (VIP): VIP VOLUNTEERS, THOSE WHO CAUSED ACCIDENTS WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE, SPEAK TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPAIRED DRIVING TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH DRIVING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE.