Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

Restorative Justice SaanichContact InformationDesmond M. Connor, Chair5096 Catalina Tce.Victoria, BCV8Y 2A5Phone: (250) 658-1323Fax: (250) 658-8110E-mail: connor@connor.bc.caProgram InformationStructure of program: Non-profit organizationTarget Group:Adult and youth of the municipality of SaanichGoals and Objectives: To educate the citizens of Saanich about restorative justicethrough the media, meetings, contact with schools, etc. (See noteat bottom of page)Program Model:Community Justice Forum/ Family Group ConferencingReferral Source(s): Ideally Saanich Police Dept.; expecting from Saanich Recreation,and perhaps some schools.Referral Types:Category 4 (theft, mischief, assault, fraud, etc.)Support/ Funding: In-kind from Saanich Recreation (meeting space); application inprocess for $5000 start-up grant from Attorney Ministry of PSSGStaffing Structure: No paid staffVolunteers Involved: 30: 16 trained facilitators plus Executive.Years in Operation: Since May 2001Partners Involved: Saanich Recreation, Boys and Girls Club Services, SaanichRotary Club.Training:Indicators of Success:Challenges/ Obstacles:Monthly meeting including videos and discussion; Facilitatortraining by RCMP or Etta ConnorEvidence of greater public awareness and knowledge; number ofconferences and agreements completed; satisfaction ofparticipants; range of issues addressed at conferences.Securing a working relationship with Saanich Police; maintaining astrong community-based program; countering tendencies forestablished, traditional justice-related organization to co-optrestorative justice into less fully restorative models; increasing thepublic’s awareness, knowledge, and appreciation; funding;developing and managing a non-directive regional resource;maintaining the initial and main focus of restorative justice, yetmoving unobtrusively into transformative justice.In January of 2002, the Saanich Police Board allocated a one-year contract to the JohnHoward Society. We are currently exploring ways to cooperate with the JHS to enableour 16 trained facilitators to provide conferences in their (4 different) neighborhoods.We expect to provide conferences to Saanich Recreation for incidents which occur withyouth in their four Recreation Centres.