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THE VALUE OF CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN RESTORATIVE/COMMUNITY JUSTICE: LESSONS FROM VERMONT
Author(s) -
BOYESWATSON CAROLYN
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
criminology and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.6
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1745-9133
pISSN - 1538-6473
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9133.2004.tb00072.x
Subject(s) - watson , restorative justice , value (mathematics) , sociology , economic justice , citation , political science , law , criminology , machine learning , natural language processing , computer science
The Vermont Reparative Probation board program is one of the earliest and most extensive statewide restorative initiatives in the United States. There is, therefore, a great deal to learn from such a bold experiment. Yet the “quaintness” of the State seems to place limitations on its utility as a model for other jurisdictions across the country. As a near neighbor to Vermont, I have encountered scathing skepticism at the suggestion that Vermont criminal justice policy is relevant to the city neighborhoods of Boston, Springfield, Lowell, or New Bedford. The image of Vermont as predominantly rural, homogenous, and relatively crime-free is largely accurate. Vermont is different, and it certainly is quaint. What other state is itself listed as endangered by the National Trust for Historic Preservation? But dismissing Vermont’s policies because of its uniqueness is specious and does not bear on the question of the relevance of the model to other communities. In reality, every state (and community) has its own unique characteristics and set of players, and no innovative program is ever simply “replicated” elsewhere, least of all, restorative justice programs, which are philosophically committed to local control. The question is, what is to be learned from the Vermont experiment, and how does it inform public policies that might support the development of restorative community-based programs? My remarks focus on the role of citizen participation through volunteering. In addition to the direct participation of victims and offenders, restorative justice prioritizes active involvement of the community, both because communities are seen to be (direct and indirect) victims of crime and because communities are viewed as responsible stakeholders in the maintenance of social norms within the community. From the citizen perspective, participation in restorative justice is a uniquely valuable form of civic participation. If we believe (as I do) that crime is a community responsibility as well as an individual responsibility, then it is necessary for citizens to see “crime” up close and personal. Most restorative forums provide an opportunity to humanize the offender, and in a democracy, I believe it is important for citizens who do not commit crime to meet and get to know those who do, in order to understand their