For this month’s Court ADR Connection (RSI’s monthly e-newsletter), I wrote about a study of 10 restorative justice conferences that demonstrated significant benefits to the community by reducing re-offense and to victims by enhancing their emotional well-being. New research from New Zealand provides more evidence of the benefits of RJCs. The study was large, examining re-offense rates of 2,323 individuals aged 17 or over who participated in RJCs and 6,718 matched individuals who went through a police diversion or court process. To be included in the study, the offenders had to plead guilty to a charge in district court. Those who participated in RJCs committed 23% fewer offenses over the next twelve months than the matched group. The proportion of those reoffending was 12% less for the RJC group. However, in the second and third years the difference in re-offense rates between the groups narrowed.
Archive for the ‘Program Evaluation’ Category
More Evidence of the Effectiveness of Restorative Justice
Jennifer Shack, April 10th, 2014Yes, It Can Be Done: Ten Program Models, One Online System
Jennifer Shack, March 12th, 2014When Resolution Systems Institute received a grant from the Illinois Attorney General to develop foreclosure mediation programs across the state, it was our opportunity to practice what we preach. From RSI’s inception, we’ve been telling courts that they need to monitor and evaluate their mediation programs to ensure that they’re providing quality services to those who come to them to resolve disputes. We’ve also been urging them to incorporate the development of a monitoring and evaluation system into their program design process. Too often, courts have decided against doing this, or have settled for a system that collects minimal data, such as number of mediations and number of settlements. The main problem has been lack of staff and money to develop and maintain such a system, as well as, perhaps, a lack of understanding of what it could provide. (more…)
State Resource Spotlight, Part 2
Just Court ADR, June 4th, 2013Last week I discussed three excellent court ADR websites from around the country. This week, here are three more outstanding sites.
Each of the sites in this series offers resources that make it unique. From a pledge for businesses to commit to ADR, to a parties’ guide to selecting a mediator, many of these features can be useful far beyond the boundaries of their own state. (more…)
State Resource Spotlight
Just Court ADR, May 28th, 2013As I review court ADR websites across the country for our CourtADR.org resources, I’m truly impressed by the number of inventive, extensive and helpful offerings I’ve found. Many sites offer ADR information and resources that would be useful beyond their own boundaries. Over the next few weeks I plan to spotlight several of these resources. Here are the first three. (more…)
