Restorative Justice Community Center of Southwestern New Mexico/

Restorative Justice Community Center of Southwestern New Mexico

The Restorative Justice Community Center provides education, training, and direct services within the field of restorative justice. Restorative Justice seeks to repair harm and restore relationships in the aftermath of crime. It is founded on values of accountability and healing. It provides everyone who has been involved in and affected directly or indirectly by a harm, an opportunity to participate in dialogue. The process of dialogue provides all participants an opportunity to speak and to be heard. The process itself provides healing and resolution, and often results in actions that specifically repair harm that was done. Restorative dialogue also is applied to developing capacity to improve communication and constructively engage in conflict where harm has not occurred. The Center employs practices including mediation, peacemaking circles, community and group conferences, and restorative circles. The Center receives referrals of youth from the Juvenile Probation and Parole Office, the District Attorney, and District Court to its Restorative Juvenile Justice Program.Referrals of adults are also now being made by the District Attorney. The Center is expanding its services to include receiving requests from victims and survivors of crime, and community and neighborhood members. The Center is developing its Restorative Reentry program to benefit victims and survivors, offenders, and community members as inmates return to their community.