Full Notification

BOXBOROUGH POLICE OFFERING NEW OPTIONS TO VICTIMS, OFFENDERS

BOXBOROUGH, MA -- In the wake of recent incidents, the Boxborough Police Department has recently referred several cases to a restorative justice process. Working with Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ), the police department offered the option in cases involving minors in possession of alcohol and possession of marijuana.

The process allowed the young people referred to meet with those affected by their actions to discuss the harms done as well as potential consequences. Also present were trained community volunteers, including some Boxborough residents. Each individual referred agreed to a specific plan of repair to those affected, including a home owner, parents, and the community.

“So far, we’ve been very impressed with the approach,” said Boxborough Police Patrolman Patrick Colburn, who is spearheading the local effort. “I’ve seen these offenders take a lot more taking responsibility than we typically see in other circumstances, and we like that the process constitutes a local response to local wrongdoing.”

“By participating in the process, offenders see how their actions affected others and they get to look at their own decision making,” said Colburn. “It can be a very positive experience for both offenders and victims, and certainly for me as a police officer. It’s not an easy out for the offenders; in some ways, it’s a lot harder than going to court would be.”

C4RJ is a nonprofit volunteer organization that partners with area police to bring together victims, offenders, and community members in the aftermath of criminal wrongdoing. In addition to working with Boxborough, C4RJ also partners with police in Acton, Ayer, Carlisle, Concord, Groton, and Littleton. Expansion efforts are also underway in Westford and Everett.

“We have been encouraged by Chief Ryder’s enthusiasm for this program,” said Jennifer Larson Sawin, Executive Director at C4RJ. “And we were lucky to find some great Boxborough volunteers to round out this partnership.”

In C4RJ’s restorative “circle” process, offenders and the people they harm meet face to face, along with trained volunteers, community members, and police personnel. Through consensus, these participants come up with a plan of repair, which consists of measures the offender will take to make amends and to learn more about the consequences of his or her actions. The offender agrees to complete the plan or face having the case returned to the police for possible prosecution. The agreement measures are customized to the needs of the victim and are also tailored to help the offender learn and be accountable. Completing the plan of repair allows an offender to avoid a court record for the crimes committed. C4RJ does not take any case if the victim vetoes the referral or if the offender does not own up to the crime.

Restorative justice is practiced around the world, with many programs in the United States. In a nationwide study of restorative justice (RJ) programs compared with the criminal justice system, the surveyors found recidivism among offenders who experienced RJ was 18%, compared with 27% in court cases. Some 79% of victims who experienced the RJ approach said they were satisfied, compared with 57% who had experienced the court system. C4RJ’s victim satisfaction rate is 89%.

To inquire about volunteer opportunities with C4RJ or to learn more about restorative justice, visit www.c4rj.com, or contact Jennifer Larson Sawin, 978.318.3447 or [email protected]