Community Restorative Justice Center Inc

CRJC IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR NEIGHBORS AND PARTIES TO RESOLVE CONFLICT IN OUR COMMUNITIES, TO RESTORE RELATIONSHIPS AND TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR HARM CAUSED. WE PROMOTE THE PRINCIPLES OF VICTIM FOCUSED RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN CALEDONIA AND SOUTHERN ESSEX COUNTIES IN VERMONT.

THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM (THP) ACCOUNTED FOR 28% OF OUR PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND TIME. THE THP PROMOTES HOUSING STABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY FROM INCARCERATION. THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE UNDER SUPERVISION OF THE DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS AND ARE AT RISK OF BEING INCARCERATED DUE TO LACK OF APPROPRIATE AND STABLE HOUSING. THE PROGRAM SUPERVISES INDIVIDUALS IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR REINTEGRATION AND CONNECTIONS TO COMMUNITY AND SERVICES. THE THP RECEIVES FUNDING THAT COVERS THE COST OF STAFFING, HOUSEHOLD OPERATIONS AND DIRECT CLIENT EXPENSES. THE THP STAFFS ONE FULL TIME COORDINATOR (40 HOURS PER WEEK), AND AN ADDITIONAL PART TIME EMPLOYEE (20 HOURS PER WEEK). THE THP IS FUNDED ENTIRELY BY THE VERMONT DEPT.OF CORRECTIONS. THE CRJC RENTS AND HAS FURNISHED THREE SEPARATE HOUSES WITH A TOTAL OF 12 BEDS FOR THIS PROGRAM.

THE RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS ACCOUNTED FOR 34% OF OUR PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND TIME. THE PROGRAM CONSISTED OF CALEDONIA RJ PANELS, HARDWICK RJ PANELS AND THE VICTIM LIAISON WORK. THE PROGRAMS WERE FUNDED BY THE VERMONT DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS. THE PROGRAMS WERE STAFFED BY A REPARATIVE PANEL COORDINATOR IN ST. JOHNSBURY, ANOTHER IN HARDWICK, AND A VICTIM LIAISON STAFF PERSON. 45 VOLUNTEERS ON SEVEN DIFFERENT REPARATIVE PANELS ALSO HELPED PROVIDE SERVICES. A BOOKKEEPER/ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEE OFFERED CLERICAL AND FACILITATION ASSISTANCE. STAFF ALSO FACILITATED GROUP CONFERENCES, MEDIATION, CIRCLE PROCESSES, SCHOOL PROGRAMS AND OTHER RESTORATIVE RESOLUTION STRATEGIES THAT WERE VICTIM AND COMMUNITY CENTERED. IN FY 21-22, THE COORDINATORS WORKED WITH 157 CLIENTS REFERRED FOR THESE SERVICES. VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 1162 HOURS OF SERVICE FOR THESE PROGRAMS. THE VICTIM LIAISON CONTACTED 354 CRIME VICTIMS IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

THE OFFENDER REENTRY PROGRAM (ORP) ACCOUNTED FOR 26% OF OUR PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND TIME. IT WAS FUNDED BY THE VERMONT DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS. THE PROGRAM WAS FUNDED BY ONE FULL TIME (40 HOURS PER WEEK) COORDINATOR. THE ORP HAD 49 VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDED SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY REINTEGRATION FOR INMATES LEAVING INCARCERATION. CIRCLES OF SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY (COSA) WERE THE PRIMARY SERVICE OFFERED. COSA VOLUNTEERS MEET WITH CLIENTS (CORE MEMBERS) ONCE A WEEK FOR A YEAR. COSA LESSEN THE BURDEN OF CORRECTIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT BY HOLDING CORE MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND FOSTERING INTEGRATED COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES OF RECIPROCITY AND INVOLVEMENT. NAVIGATION SERVICES ARE ALSO OFFERED TO OTHER CLIENTS WHO ARE REFERRED SEPARATELY. THESE CLIENTS DO NOT HAVE COSA. IN FY 21-22, 81 SEPARATE CLIENTS RECEIVED SERVICES. 588 VOLUNTEER HOUR WERE GIVEN BY 49 VOLUNTEERS.

PART III, LINE 4D. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES. THE PARKING BOARD IS COMPRISED OF ONE STAFF AND THREE VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE DECISIONS ON CONTESTED PARKING TICKETS ISSUED BY THE ST. JOHNSBURY POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE BOARD MEETS ONCE A MONTH ON THE THIRD MONDAY TO REVIEW CONTESTED TICKETS. THE PROGRAM CONSTITUTES ROUGHLY 2% OF OUR PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACTIVITY. THE LEGAL PROGRAM PROVIDES FREE LEGAL CLINICS MONTHLY TO PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOMES NEEDING LEGAL ADVICE. CLIENTS ARE ALLOWED UP TO 30 MINUTES OF FREE ADVICE WITH AN ATTORNEY. ALSO THE PROGRAM PROVIDES ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL FORMS, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL. THE PROGRAM ACCOUNTS FOR 6% OF PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND TIME. THE MEDIATION PROGRAM PROVIDES MEDIATION TO PARTIES IN NEED OF PROBLEM SOLVING IN SITUATIONS OF DISPUTE. REFERRALS MAY COME FROM SCHOOLS, COURT, WORD OF MOUTH, LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, ETC. THE PROGRAM ACCOUNTS FOR 2% OF PROGRAM ACTIVITY AND TIME. SCHOOL PROGRAMS ACCOUNT FOR ANOTHER 2% OF PROGRAM TIME AND ACTIVITY. THIS PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY TRAINS AND EDUCATES LOCAL SCHOOLS IN THE AREA OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AS A MODEL FOR SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.