The RESTORE Program of Restorative Justice for Sex Crimes: Vision, Process, and Outcomes
Abstract
The article reports empirical evaluation of RESTORE, a restorative justice (RJ) conferencing program adapted to prosecutor-referred adult misdemeanor and felony sexual assaults. RESTORE conferences included voluntary enrollment, preparation, and a face-to-face meeting where primary and secondary victims voice impacts, and responsible persons acknowledge their acts and together develop a re-dress plan that is supervised for 1 year. Process data included referral and consent rates, participant characteristics, observational ratings of conferences compared with program design, services delivered, and safety monitoring. Outcome evaluation used 22 cases to assess (a) preāpost reasons for choosing RESTORE, (b) preparation and conference experiences, (c) overall program and justice satisfaction, and (d) completion rates. This is the first peer-reviewed quantitative evaluation of RJ conferencing for adult sexual assault. Although the data have limitations, the results support cautious optimism regarding feasibility, safety, and satisfactory outcomes. They help envision how conferencing could expand and individualize justice options for sexual assault. (Author Abstract)
Description
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Article
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Keywords
Program Evaluation, Restorative Justice, Restorative Justice Conferencing, Victims, Secondary Victimization, Co-victims, Co-victimization, Victim-Offender Dialogue, Offender Treatment, Sexual Assault, Rape, Sex Crimes, Accountability, Victim Satisfaction, Victim Goals, Psychological Consequences, Victim Outcomes
Citation
Koss, Mary. (2013). The RESTORE Program of Restorative Justice for Sex Crimes: Vision, Process, and Outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 38 pgs.