Restorative Justice Seeks Volunteers in Winthrop

Winthrop became a Restorative Justice Community in October 2018 and now community volunteers are being sought to join in the program and embrace a partnership with One Winthrop.

Restorative justice is system of criminal justice, which focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large.

“It’s a community-driven initiative affirming and celebrating our commitment to social values of diversity, compassion, community and respect,” said Erin Freeborn, state executive director of the program, who spoke at the Winthrop Public Library last Thursday night.  “We are a community police partnership. Winthrop is one of our newer communities to participate and we are looking for as many volunteers as possible.”

Communities for Restorative Justice, also known as C4RJ, is an emerging and blossoming part of our criminal justice system,” Freeborn said, adding that Chelsea is the closest community to also use restorative justice on cases such as shoplifting, breaking and entering, vandalism and more.

“The mission of C4RJ is to help the victim, restorative justice is victim centered process,” Freeborn said, adding that participating communities pay $2,500 in dues each year.

Winthrop resident and volunteer Elaine Abrams, one of two Winthrop volunteers said, “it’s a wonderful program what speaks to me. It is the opportunity to effect a change in someone’s life, the offender (“responsible party” as C4RJ says) gets to take responsibility and the victim gets to speak about what they really felt.”

Terri Bracy, the second Winthrop volunteer, has participated in C4RJ in the past.

 â€œWe work at the front end of the criminal justice process,” Freeborn said.

During Freeborn’s presentation a video is shown with six people sitting on chairs in a circle. One is the responsible party, two are victims, another guides the group – they do this only if they want to.

It works the same in Winthrop with the police suggesting what cases would work best with restorative justice.

It works well for home breaks, vandalism, stupid crimes young people commit, the ones that land you with a police record that can impact you for life and a host of other crimes.

There is an advisory group and a board of community leaders who give program strength and endurance to the process.

“The difference in restorative justice and a court case is who decides the outcome,” Freeborn said.

The police will recommend a case for restorative justice, there is a discussion about the case, if the victims are interested in participating and if the person who responsible is taking ownership of the incident they proceed. There are intake interviews with both parties. They also ensure everything is safe for those involved. “Our program was created as a community police partnership to respond to crimes,” Erin said, adding they partner with the Middlesex and Suffolk District Attorney’s Office also.

 â€œWe provide a space where the victim can address the person who harmed them,” Erin said “And where the responsible party can better understand.”