Restorative Justice History
1998-2000
Our RJ Pilot Project in SB based on nationwide VORP (Victim/Offender Reconciliation Project) with referrals from SB County Probation.
2000
CSC sponsors RJ Training in Family Group Conferencing (FGC) with Allan McRae of New Zealand.
2000-2003
Part of New Vistas/Probation contract in SB, providing RJ FGCs for teen clients referred by probation officers.
2002-2005
Provided FGCs, Victim/Offender mediations, in North County; funded by California Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act.
2003-2004
Co-chaired the creation of North County Restorative Justice Task Force, and sponsored the 1st RJ Symposium.
2005
2nd RJ Symposium in Santa Maria, focused on Restorative Justice practices in schools. Provided RJ training and technical assistance at FitzGerald School in Santa Maria.
2006
3rd RJ Symposium in Santa Maria
2007
South County RJ Task Force organized in Santa Barbara. County-wide RJ Symposium. More FGC training with Allan MacRae of New Zealand; trainees include sheriffs and county mental health staff. Co-sponsored with Co. Sheriff’s Office another FGC training with Allan MacRae of New Zealand; trainees include sheriff’s deputies, county mental health staff, Probation staff and CSC staff.
2008
Lompoc RJ Task Force begins to organize. Stakeholders trained for the launch of Restorative Justice Partnership Initiative (RJPI), serving juvenile offenders and their victims.
2009
Began implementation of RJPI, receiving referrals of cases by Lompoc Police Department and SB County Sheriffs Department.
2010
RJ becomes a main theme of City of Santa Maria’s “Future Search: Collaboration on Youth Violence” conference. Workgroup merges with local RJ Task Force. RJ referrals start coming from Probation Dept.
October 2010
Met with District Attorney’s office staff, law enforcement and Probation to discuss starting to refer felony property crimes with victims. Given the “go-ahead” to develop guidelines for felony referrals.
2011
Developed and implemented new RJ interactive training program combining Help Increase the Peace (HIP) Program and Victim Impact Panel program (VIP). Began offering HIP/VIP to juveniles referred by Probation.
2012
Started meeting with representatives from the District Attorney’s office, the Public Defender’s office and Probation Dept. to develop formal “Guidelines for RJ Referrals from Juvenile Court” which will include felony referrals with victims.
June 2013
Finalized “Guidelines for RJ Referrals from Juvenile Court” with signatures of Joyce Dudley, RaiMundo Montes de Oca, and CSC Director.
2014
Worked with Sheriff’s Dept. to develop a Memorandum of Understanding for use of CSC’s Restorative Justice services. Approved by the County Board of Supervisors on June 17, 2014.