Violence, Victims, and Communities: A Story of Restoration.

Source: (2004) The Public Manager. Winter 04-05: 45-48.

In San Francisco, however, a different answer has taken shape. There, the sheriff’s department runs an innovative program called Resolve to Stop the Violence. It is RSVP’s mission to bring together everyone harmed by violent crimes: victims, adult male offenders, and communities. First, it centralizes the needs of victims, many of whom are targets of domestic violence, enabling them to restore themselves and become survivors and advocates. Second, it holds offenders accountable and punishable. But, just as important, it focuses also on changing their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour on restoration of victims and self, and on equipping them for crime-free lives on the outside. Third, RSVP energizes the community to take part in all of these efforts. RSVP’s in-custody and post-release treatment and education is supported by creative collaboration among local government agencies. It gets active participation from all local stakeholders in reducing violence, fear, and economic and social destabilization of the community. (excerpt)