BY KEITH LACEY
Greater Sudbury has been selected as one of only two demonstration sites for a unique program focusing directly on trying to rehabilitate young offenders, with victims of crime playing a significant role.
Thanks to more than $50,000 in funding from the Ministry of Children and Youth, a restorative justice program for young offenders will be organized in Greater Sudbury. The City of Ottawa is the other test site.
If the program proves successful, the government has indicated a willingness to provide long-term funding and set up similar programs across Ontario, said Amanda Chodura, the newly-appointed executive director of the Sudbury and District Restorative Justice (SDRJ) program.
The concept of restorative justice focuses on a community approach to rehabilitation and includes parents of young offenders and, most importantly, the victims of crime, who are often ignored in Canada?s criminal justice system, said Chodura.
The SDRJ held its first ever annual general meeting Tuesday and supporters of the restorative justice concept, including social workers, judges, Crown attorneys, probation officers and native youth workers, were told how an organization that looked dead in the water due to lack of funding, is returning to financial health.
The new board of directors was also introduced and those in attendance were informed how the program is now a not-for-profit charitable organization, making it easier to obtain government funding.
Rockhaven, a recovery home for adult males with substance abuse addictions, has been kind enough to donate office space at its Brady Street location, allowing the SDRJ program to save money on rent.
The funding for the young offenders restorative justice program is the best news the organization has received in a long time, said Chodura.
Simply punishing young offenders doesn?t work, as statistics clearly indicate the recidivism rate for those incarcerated is very high, she said.
?Jail doesn?t work...keeping these young people out of jail is the goal,? she said.
You have to deal with young offenders differently than adult offenders as many young people commit crimes because of peer pressure and falling in with the wrong group of people, she said.
?The focus is on changing the behaviour of the young offender,? she said. ?We believe if victims are involved and can meet with the young offenders to describe their feelings, it is an effective way to allow the offender to see the effect their crimes have on victims.
?Often victims want restitution or reparations and because most young people don?t have a lot of money, it?s not about dollars, but perhaps having the young person volunteer or work for the summer to pay for the damage caused.?
All key players in the criminal justice system, including judges, Crown attorneys and probation officers, are involved in ensuring the program?s success, said Chodura.
?Releasing a young offender from incarceration and putting them back onto the street or back home without any support systems isn?t working,? she said. ?We have to offer support and programs for these people so they don?t return to crime.?
Part of her job will be to track recidivism rates to prove the program is working and young people who enter the program are not re-offending, said Chodura.
?Funding for programs like this is dependent on results, and to be quite frank, I don?t have a big problem with that,? she said. ?If we can prove the program is working, we?re very confident long-term funding will be made available.?
The Greater Sudbury United Way/Centraide has generously provided $18,000 to allow the adult restorative justice program to continue, said Chodura.
One part-time staff person can be hired because of this funding and the majority of programming will again focus on young people who have just entered into the adult criminal justice system, she said.
Justice Gerald Michel, one of the longest-serving judges in Ontario with 37 years on the bench, was honoured at the general meeting for his work in establishing and supporting restorative justice programming in Greater Sudbury over the past decade.
Michel thanked all dedicated volunteers who have donated their time and energy to a concept he believes strongly in.
?We?re all trying to make our society better,? he said.
Simply putting people who commit crimes behind bars doesn?t work, but restorative justice has proven effective, especially with young people, said Michel.
Michel, who has stepped down from the board due to health problems, was presented with a framed picture of ?a wise old owl? by John Moore, a member of the SDRJ?s board of directors.
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