THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 26, 1996 TAG: 9606260515
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE KNEPLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 45 lines
Victims of crimes committed by juveniles soon will have more voice in community-service sentences meted out in Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
The court services unit has been awarded a five-year grant to expand its innovative ``restorative-justice'' program, which includes restitution to victims and community service to neighborhood civic leagues.
The federal grant is channeled through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. It's $64,117 for each of the first two years, and then declining amounts for the next three years, with the difference made up through local matches.
The money will enable the hiring of two full-time staff members so the program can be expanded, said Kevin J. Moran, Norfolk court services director.
The restorative-justice philosophy, Moran said, shifts the focus of accountability away from repaying a debt to society at large and toward making amends to victims and communities.
Offenders do not passively take punishment but must actively work ``to make things right,'' he said.
In recent months, the court has assigned some juvenile offenders to community-service work with neighborhood civic leagues.
In the expanded program, some juvenile offenders will have to make reparations directly to individual victims and businesses.
Victims will have a say in how the offenders make those reparations, Moran said. ``The more you can have the victim involved, the more meaningful it will be,'' he said.
For example, some victims may wish for personal service as reparation; others may designate a civic league or nonprofit organization, Moran said.
Also, some juveniles will have to make monetary restitution for crimes such as theft or vandalism.
If a victim wishes, an offender also will be required to make a personal apology.
One of the new court-service positions will coordinate job training and placement for juveniles who must repay victims, Moran said. Two-thirds of an offender's pay will be docked and forwarded to victims until the restitution is completed.
The other new court-service worker will coordinate the community-service components. by CNB