NCJ Number
209595
Date Published
January 2005
Length
106 pages
Annotation
This report presents evaluation findings from the Wanganui Community-Managed Restorative Justice Programme in New Zealand.
Abstract
Community-Managed Restorative Justice Programmes are offered widely throughout New Zealand since the Crime Prevention Unit funded three trial programs in 1996. Evaluations of two current programs were undertaken to assess their effectiveness and to inform future development of these programs. Another area under consideration during the evaluation was how well the programs met the needs of Maori, Pacific, and other cultural groups. One of the programs selected for evaluation was the Wanganui program because it was considered to be well managed and effective. The outcomes of the evaluation are presented in this report, as are the strengths of the program and areas for future development. The report describes the program’s history, its management structure, resources and funding, roles of staff, the referral process, and the restorative justice process. Evaluators found that the program met its first two objectives of gaining the participation of victims, offenders, and community members. The third objective of negotiating offender contracts that have a restorative effect was not as well met, with only a 27 percent contract completion rate among offenders interviewed during the evaluation. Finally, although other objectives were met, the Wanganui program failed to meet its last objective of reducing re-offending rates among participants; 1-year reconviction rates were similar for program participants and non-participants. Cultural groups were integrally involved as community panel members and as victims and offenders. Areas for improvement are highlighted, including ensuring better offender monitoring during the contract completion phase. Tables, figures, appendixes