West Shore Restorative Justice
West Shore Restorative Justice is a program facilitated by volunteers with the West Shore RCMP. The primary mandate of the West Shore Restorative Justice Program is to facilitate Community Justice Forums where the accused take ownership of their actions and agree to reparations thereby diverting offenders away from criminal courts.
Watch our video to learn more about West Shore Restorative Justice:
Transcription
Scene 1: Randie Johal can be seen seated and talking about Restorative Justice Program.
Randie Johal, West Shore RCMP Restorative Justice:
At the end of the day, we want to repair the harm and provide an opportunity.
Scene 2: an older couple are seen holding hands and walking down the street.
Jan, victim of mischief:
Don and I moved to Langford Summer 2019.
Scene 3: Jan is seated at a table and speaking about her husband and their home. The scene cuts to
Jan opening the door to the community library, a wooden structure out side their come that is accessible to the public and filled with books.
Jan:
And then we moved into this house January 2020. My husband Don is very handy and crafty and decided to build the library and we were really pleased and excited that it was so accepted and so being used by everyone around here.
Scene 4: Scene shows a young female walking up to the library and then cuts to photos of the library being damaged.
Jan:
I got up one January morning and then I noticed pieces of the plexiglass laying on the ground over there. So I went over and had a look and several vehicles on the street had been vandalized too. So it was kind of disturbing and it felt kind of personal and hurtful that someone would do this in our little area.
Scene 5: Shows the exterior of West Shore RCMP and cuts to Cst. Krauss speaking about Restorative Justice. The scene then cuts to several people sitting in a circle talking to each other.
Cst. Heinz Krauss
Westshore RCMP works alongside with the restorative justice program within the detachment. Where police refer offenders to the program in hopes they will avoid the criminal justice system.
Scene 6: Randie is seated in an office with a Restorative Justice pop up sign near her desk that reads West Shore Restorative Justice. Reduce Recidivism. Prevent Harm.
The video then cuts to showing the group of people sitting in a circle depicting a Restorative Justice Forum.
Randie Johal:
Westshore Restorative Justice is targeted towards first time offenders.
Generally, youth are the ones that we're getting. We do have some adults.
Our program is voluntary. Both the victim and accused must agree to participate, or the case will be diverted back into the Criminal Justice System. Our program also allows victims to work with the offenders and get their lives back on track.
Scene 7: Scene shows Cst. Weatherby standing outside the West Shore RCMP and speaking with Randie. It then shows Cst. Weatherby speaking about criminal records.
Cst. Holly Weatherby, West Shore RCMP:
One of the biggest challenges of having a criminal record, they don't realize that once they've graduated high school, once they're 18 or 19, that if they have this criminal record, they won't be able to get certain jobs. They might not be able to go to school for certain things or leave the country.
Scene 8: Scene shows Randie seated and talking about Restorative Justice, the scene cuts to photos of Restorative Justice speaking to various youth groups.
Randie Johal:
Westshore Restorative Justice connects with the community by providing talks with youth groups, air cadets. We talk at the schools. We let kids know about the restorative justice program and how it operates.
Scene 9: Video depicts Jan and Don speaking with Cst. Krauss followed by Jan seated at her table and speaking more about the Restorative Justice process.
Jan:
I have always liked to be part of the process of making things better and to be a part of this
restorative justice program just made me feel really good inside that I was doing something meaningful and helpful for the community.
Scene 10: Depicts Randie seated and talking about Restorative Justice.
Randie Johal:
Westshore Restorative Justice is hoping to divert first time offenders away from the criminal justice program, to be able to repair the harm to their victim and within the community.
Scene 11:
Screen Caption reads:
West Shore RCMP identified and arrested the youth responsible for damaging the community library.
The youth participated in the Restorative Justice Program and was successfully diverted away from the Criminal Justice System.
Don and Jan’s community Library was restored.
Scene 12:
Screen Caption Reads:
Reduce Recidivism. Prevent Harm.
Scene 13:
Screen Caption Reads:
West Shore Restorative Justice.
In 2023, 62 accused persons were diverted away from the criminal justice system and participated in Restorative Justice Forums. The program is a great success with recidivism rates being extremely low,
said Randie Johal, West Shore Restorative Justice Coordinator.
Restorative Justice has proven to be an effective tool for police to divert first time or low-risk offenders away from the criminal justice system, while holding them accountable to the community and victim for their actions,
said Todd Preston, Officer in Charge of West Shore RCMP. West Shore RCMP is grateful for all the work Restorative Justice volunteers do to make this program a success.
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