AURORA | The City of Aurora wants resident input on a future local restorative justice program, as it considers introducing the diversion option to its municipal court.
Restorative justice programs generally focus on repairing harm caused by crime in ways other than punishing offenders. The programs often involve meetings between criminal defendants and crime victims, which are meant to foster a community-based system of accountability that discourages re-offending.
According to a city news release, through restorative justice, the city hopes to:
- Increase the sense of safety and security within neighborhoods and community
- Improve cohesion of neighborhoods
- Reduce the harms associated with criminal justice involved with specific offenses identified through the research process.
- Empower victims to participate in addressing the harms suffered by themselves and their community.
The city said in the release that it has contracted with the nonprofit Conflict Center to develop a plan for the program, including gauging residents’ opinions of the criminal justice system and restorative justice in particular.
Residents can access the survey until 5 p.m. on Nov. 30 at EngageAurora.org/RestorativeJustice. Gift cards worth $15 will be given to survey participants while supplies last.
Aurora City Council member Curtis Gardner sponsored the resolution last year that committed $100,000 from the city’s general fund to designing a restorative justice program. He said in a statement that he was glad to see the vision coming to fruition.
“This diversion program will be another tool our courts will have in addressing crime in our community,” he said. “The uniqueness of restorative justice from the traditional court system is that victims play an active role in the process, and participants can truly have their lives changed before entering the prison pipeline.”
The city’s release said The Conflict Center hopes to complete a plan for the program by June 2023.
“Partnering with the city of Aurora to create a vision for restorative justice is very important and meaningful for us,” Beth Yohe, the center’s executive director, said in the same release. “We take the responsibility to elevate community voice and create an implementation plan informed by community experience to heart.”
The Conflict Center will also facilitate focus groups, interviews and listening sessions as well as the establishment of a community advisory committee which will help it create the plan.
More information about the program is available at EngageAurora.org/RestorativeJustice, and residents with questions can reach out to The Conflict Center at info@conflictcenter.org.