Community Group Conferencing

Community Group Conferences are typically held for low-level juvenile offenders, however, we consider all cases including adults and felony charges. Deputies make referrals to the program before they issue a summons and an assessment is done to determine whether or not a restorative justice process is appropriate for the offender. The Community Group Conference is used as a pre-court diversion.

The Community Group Conference process is victim focused, meaning that the needs and concerns of the victim are given highest priority in the process. Restorative justice conferences seek to repair the harm done to victims and the community while reintegrating offenders back into the community. The process provides the opportunity for victims to be heard and their needs addressed, offenders to move toward accountability and responsibility, and the community to be involved in the process.

Conference Process

The conference is a three-step process where each person is asked to respond to a series of questions about the incident. The conference participants consist of:

• Victims - With their support system (friends, family, advocate)
• Offenders - With their support system (friends and family)
• Community
• Deputy/Detective
• Facilitator and co-facilitator

The Three-Step Process:

• Step 1 - Offender tells what he/she did and why
• Step 2 - Victim(s) and other participants, including community members, tell how they were affected by the offender's behavior
• Step 3 - Together, participants create a plan (contract) for how to repair the harm. The restorative justice program monitors this plan and encourages the offender to successfully fulfill his/her obligations created in the agreement.