New restorative justice court planned for Winnipeg’s North End

Nancy Fazenda is a Crown attorney who has recently been tapped to become Crown prosecutor for the new court – part of Manitoba’s newly minted restorative justice strategy.

“The North End does have some complex criminal justice system issues,” Fazenda said Monday.

Broadly defined, restorative justice is an approach that focuses on the impact crime has on its victims and communities, which includes holding offenders to account by alternative means to serving jail time, such as reconciling with victims and performing community service.

One of her roles, Fazenda said, will include determining which individuals would benefit most from the restorative justice model.

That means prosecutors will be required to work closely with community partners to familiarize themselves with the needs of individuals in that particular area, she said, adding the new court is a “natural expansion” of the work currently done by the city’s downtown-community Crown prosecutor.

“We’re hoping to do the same thing in the north end by having communication with Indigenous groups, as well as community programs that are already in existence to see if we can provide a hub for people who need more support.”