Restorative Justice

In Missouri, offenders perform restorative justice initiatives that assist victims and victimized communities as part of their sentence to prison. The Department's restorative justice initiative encourages offenders to reflect on the harm caused by their criminal activity and to make restoration to victims, the community and their families. Restorative Justice also provides the offender the opportunity to leave the system with an improved attitude and sense of belonging as well as strengthening the social bonds that serve as the foundation of our communities. Impact of Crime on Victim Classes (ICVC) are currently being offered in every institution as well as most probation and parole offices across the state. They provide victims a safe and structured opportunity to talk about the impact of crime on their lives and assist the department in developing in offenders an increased sensitivity towards victims to prevent further victimization. The classes encompass a range of crimes committed in Missouri and offenders are compelled to explore the impact of these crimes on relationships in the community and within the families of the victims. This is one of the core programs that is mandated under the Missouri Reentry Process.

Probation and Parole offices sponsor a variety of restorative justice programs for offenders under their supervision living in the community. Reparation/ Accountability Boards are comprised of citizens from the community specially trained by department staff to meet with offenders concerning their behavior under supervision. They provide the court with an assessment of offender needs and how the offender can best repair the harm they have caused the victim or the community. All crime victims have an opportunity to provide information/statement outlining what impact the crime has had on their lives through the court reports prepared by probation and parole staff and how the offender may best repair the harm they have caused their victim or the community, which may include physical and/or psychological harm and financial loss.

Every year thousands of incarcerated offenders volunteer their time to do reparative activities at correctional centers in Missouri. Community volunteers help oversee some of these projects in the institutions. Products were delivered to shelters, daycare centers, nursing homes, meals on wheels program, hospitals, victims, schools, not-for-profit organizations, etc… across the state.