108 Cherry Street
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
tel: (802) 748-2977
fax: (802) 748-3146


Reparative Board

Target Population:

Victims of crime or misconduct and the offenders who have committed those offenses.

Outcomes:

Victims will have the opportunity to participate in the process of holding the offenders accountable for their actions and assuring the harm done by their offenses is repaired. Offenders will (1) understand the consequences of their actions; (2) repair the harm done to victims and their communities; (3) be held accountable for their actions; (4) learn ways to avoid re-offending.

Activities:

Affected parties participate in reparative board meetings. In most cases a reparative agreement is reached and the offender performs its terms, in most cases within 90 days after the date of the agreement. CJC staff monitors performance.

Program Schedule:

There are 6 reparative boards each month. The first, second and fourth Wednesdays at 6 pm., the second and fourth Mondays at 4pm. and 3 pm. respectively and the third Tuesday of each month at 9am.

Referral Process:

Cases may be referred by law enforcement, State's Attorney, Public Defender, Court, Judge, school personnel or other source. Referrals are made by transmittal of information on the offense, the legal status of the case, and how to contact the parties.

Staffing Needs:

The program requires a pool of community volunteers trained in restorative justice.

Protocol:

Cases are reviewed and developed by Reparative Board Coordinator to assure they are appropriate for this program, to maximize the benefit to both victims and offenders, and to determine the best dispute resolution process to be used. Referring agencies and organizations receive notice of the date and time of the meeting or session, if attendance is appropriate. Reparative agreements are strictly confidential unless all parties agree to their release. CJC staff monitors performance of agreements and recommend case closure when the terms have been met. Cases are referred back for further disposition if the terms are not met.