Hartford Community Restorative Justice Center

THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY RESTORATIVE JUSTICE CENTER WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES AIMED AT REDUCING CRIME AND RESOLVING CONFLICT IN THE GREATER HARTFORD AREA. OUR PROGRAMS ARE BASED ON RESTORATIVE PRINCIPLES : TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR ONE'S ACTIONS, REPAIRING THE HARM DONE TO VICTIMS AND THE COMMUNITY, AND INCLUDING ALL THOSE EFFECTED BY THE CRIME OR CONFLICT IN THE RESOLUTION PROCESS.

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE - RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PANEL. OFFENDERS, REFERRED THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM, ARE REQUIRED TO MEET WITH A PANEL OF COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND ANY VICTIMS OF THEIR CRIME. THROUGH THIS RESTORATIVE PROCESS, OFFENDERS ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND LEARN HOW VICTIMS AND THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THEIR BEHAVIOR. THIS PROGRAM HELPS THE GREATER HARTFORD COMMUNITY IN MANY WAYS. ONE IS TO PROVIDE AN INCLUSIVE PROCESS WHERE ANY PERSON AFFECTED BY A CRIME MAY BE INVOLVED IN THE RESOLUTION PROCESS. ANOTHER IS THAT THIS PROGRAM HELPS CONNECT THE COMMUNITY WITH THE OFFENDER, AND THE OFFENDER WITH THE COMMUNITY. THIS REDUCES OFFENDER ISOLATION, INCREASES PRO-SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND IS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS REDUCING RECIDIVISM AND, THUS, INCREASING COMMUNITY SAFETY.PRE-CHARGE PROGRAM. AFTER A PERSON HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR A CRIME, THE POLICE AND WINDSOR COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEYS' OFFICE MAY CHOOSE TO REFER THE CASE TO HCRJC INSTEAD OF SENDING IT THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM. THE PRE-CHARGE PROGRAM REQUIRES THE OFFENDER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS/HER ACTIONS AND MAKE AMENDS TO AFFECTED PARTIES. WHEN THE OFFENDER SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES THE PROGRAM, THE CHARGES ARE DROPPED AND CASE IS DISMISSED.RESTORATIVE REENTRY AND CIRCLE OF SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY (COSA) PROGRAM. ANYONE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY FROM INCARCERATION MAY BE REFERRED TO OUR OFFICE FOR REENTRY SUPPORT SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, SERVICE NAVIGATION, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, WORK READINESS, PARTICIPATION IN OUR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PANEL, BUDGETING, AND OUR COSA PROGRAM. COSA IS A GROUP OF 3 TO 5 TRAINED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO FORM A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PERSON COMING OUT OF PRISON, KNOWN AS THE CORE MEMBER. THE COSA IS INTENDED TO REDUCE THE RISK OF RE-OFFENSE BY PROVIDING CORE MEMBERS WITH A NEW SET OF COMMUNITY-BASED PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. THESE NEW RELATIONSHIPS MODEL PRO-SOCIAL COMMUNITY BEHAVIOR AND CAN HELP TO INTERRUPT THE CYCLE OF CRIMINAL OFFENDING. THE INFORMAL AUTHORITY DERIVED THROUGH THESE VOLUNTEER RELATIONSHIPS EFFECTIVELY AUGMENTS THE FORMAL SUPERVISION PROVIDED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, LEADING TO BETTER REENTRY OUTCOMES FOR ALL PARTIES. THE GOAL OF A COSA IS SIMPLE: NO MORE VICTIMS.RESTORATIVE SANCTIONS. OFFENDERS WHO VIOLATE ONE OR MORE OF THEIR CONDITIONS OF RELEASE ARE OFTEN GIVEN A SANCTION. IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SANCTIONS MORE RESTORATIVE AND LESS PUNITIVE, WE'VE DEVELOPED THIS PROGRAM. OFFENDERS PARTICIPATE IN OUR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PANEL PROGRAM TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND MAKE AMENDS TO THE COMMUNITY AND AFFECTED PARTIES.

TRANSITIONAL HOUSING - ANYONE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY FROM INCARCERATION MAY BE REFERRED TO OUR OFFICE FOR REENTRY SUPPORT SERVICES WHICH INCLUDES TRANSITIONAL HOUSING.

THE CIRCLES OF PEACE PILOT PROGRAM IS AN INNOVATIVE NEW PROGRAM OFFERED TO DEFENDANTS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR DOMESTIC ASSAULT. THIS PROGRAM PROMOTES PROMPT ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY BY THE DEFENDANT, INCREASES THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR VICTIM PARTICIPATION IF THEY SHOULD SO CHOOSE, AND INCREASES VICTIM SATISFACTION WITH THE CRIMINAL PROCESS BY OFFERING A MORE TIMELY AND INCLUSIVE PROCESS. TRAINED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS ARE INTEGRAL TO THIS PROGRAM.