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An Innovative Application of Restorative Justice to the Adjudication of Selected Sexual Offenses

Koss, Mary
June 4, 2015

Source: In Press [?]: Kury, H., and Obergfell-Fuchs, J., eds. Crime Prevention — New Approaches. Downloaded 29 April 2004.

Problems in the criminal justice system’s response to date and acquaintance rape, and the nonpenetration sexual offenses are identified: (1) these crimes are often markers of a career of sexual offense, yet they are widely viewed as minor; (2) perpetrators of these crimes are now held accountable in ways that reduce their future threat of sex offending; and (3) current criminal justice response to these crimes disappoints and traumatizes victims and families. In response to these identified problems, we are implementing and evaluating RESTORE, an innovative, victim-driven, community-based restorative justice program. Restorative justice views crime as harm for which the person responsible must be held accountable in meaningul ways. RESTORE uses a community conference to involve the victim, offender, and both parties’ family and friends in a face-to-face dialogue directed at identifying the harm and developing a plan for repair, rehabilitation, and reintegration into the community.

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