Restorative Justice & Underage

Drinking

Kris MinerSt. Croix Valley Restorative Justice

Populations:

St. Croix County 80,000

Pierce County 40,000

River Falls 13,600

Peace & Belonging

•Victims•Offenders•Community

“Reparative

Exercises”

“Restorative justice is a process to involve, to the extent possible, those

who have a stake in a specific offense and to collectively identify

and address harms, needs, and obligations, in order to heal and put

things as right as possible.”

The Restorative Justice Movement isgrounded in values thatpromote both accountabilityand healing for all affected bycrime.

-Mark Umbreit, U of M Center for and Restorative Justice Peacemaking

SCVRJP Programs

• Victim Impact Panels• Victim-Offender Conferencing• Victim Empathy Seminars• Underage Consumption Panels• Safe Teen Driving Circles• Trainings

Victim?

Offender?

Community?

Healing?

Accountability?

???

Developing U.C.P.’s

•What RJ Process?• Who will participate?

•Victim/Offender/Community

• What Evidence Based Program?•B.A.S.I.C.S./CHOICES

• Partners – Courts/LE/UWRF

Underage C. Panels

• Registration – Pre test• Circle Process• Speaker• Post test• Evaluation• Individual

Circle Elements

•Open & Close

•Values

•Talking Piece

B.R.A.D.Be Responsible About Drinking

CHOICES

• Change Companies Resource• Harm Reduction Model• Alcohol’s Impact on the Body• High BAC Risks• Biphasic Drinking• Strategies to reduce risk/harm• Public Commitment

Participant Comments

“I went in thinking this was going to be some joke I had to do it because it was mandatory but actually it affects you

more than you might think”

“Educational, almost an essential program for all college students”

Participant Comments

“Something I was forced to go to but ended up coming

out of it with a different mindset on drinking”

“Insightful and eye-opening very well recommended”

Survey Comments ’08

• 92% say they will change some aspect of behavior (65% definitely & 27% maybe)

• 94% say the program will help reduce the RISK associated with alcohol use. (68 % definitely, 26% maybe)

Effective ?

• The first 56 (Sept ’06 to Jan ’07) • 18 months• From 4 different courts• Two courts had 0 re-offend

• 51 did NOT re-offend 91% • 1 re-offense within 6 months

Community Involvement

• Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking

• Cable Access Program• Ridin’ Dirty Radio Interview• Open to the Public Victim Impact

Panels• Sharing Evaluations & Success Stories

Be Available

for anything!

Future Trainings:

August River Falls (Circles)

September Green Bay (RJ/Schools)

March Green Bay (Circles)