Our society's response to crime has largely been punitive, ignoring the victim's needs and the skills that offenders must have in order to avoid making destructive choices. Both the criminal justice system and, increasingly, our schools, focus on laws and rules that have been broken, rather than on the harm that has been suffered. This is an adversarial approach to crime, generating shame rather t
han remorse, forgiveness, healing, and reconciliation. The limitations and failures of this approach are evident in our country's high incarceration rates and vast numbers of repeat offenders. Finally, our ever-expanding prison system diverts money from other societal needs, including health care, education, and affordable housing. The Restorative Justice Project of the Midcoast addresses these issues by:
--Providing new alternatives that hold offenders accountable while avoiding court, jail, and suspension or expulsion from school.
--Providing caring, effective assistance to released offenders to promote healthy decision-making, reducing the likelihood of future offenses.
--Supporting enlightened systemic change in our educational and criminal justice systems.
--Creating community awareness of how crimes and other offenses affect victims and our broader society.
