VISION

By implementing Restorative Justice principles, Santa Barbara County’s varied communities become places where citizens feel safe and secure, where victims and community are restored, and where offenders are held accountable and again become valued community members. 

MMMISSIONission

Through education and collaboration the Restorative Justice Task Force, through its regional branches in North, Central and South Santa Barbara County, promotes the development of policies and practices that will increase victim and community involvement for restoration; offender accountability and integration; community participation; and improved conflict resolution skills and interventions.

The Restorative Justice Task Force believes that when a wrong is committed the community has a shared responsibility to redress the harm imposed on victims, offenders, and the affected community as a whole.

To this end the RJ Task Force values:

Responsibility                        The harm created by wrongdoing creates a responsibility on the part of the offender to make efforts to repair the harm. Wrongdoing also highlights problems in the community for which it needs to assume shared responsibility.

Culturally sensitivity             The justice process must be sensitive to the diverse people living in our community.

Education                               Citizen and Juvenile Justice Stakeholders should be educated about the justice system and restorative justice principles to encourage their engagement in the process of holding offenders accountable, restoring victims and the community, and developing offenders into productive, contributing community members.

Collaboration                         Collaboration among citizens and community agencies is important in order to build community partnerships, share responsibility, and build consensus around issues facing the community.

Healing Victims                     Victims deserve to be compensated for their losses but should also be offered opportunities to aid their healing which may include meeting face-to-face with offenders.

Helping Offenders                 The RJ Task force recognizes that acts committed by offenders have created harm to victims, the community and themselves. Offenders need support in order to repair the harm they have caused and to be productive members of the community; efforts should be made to educate them about the impact of their actions and the imposed consequences should relate to offense.

Restoring the Community    The community is harmed by wrongdoing and should be included as a party that needs to be restored and compensated.

Fairness                                  All people who come into contact with any facet of the justice system should be treated fairly and respectfully throughout the process.

Honesty                                  Honesty should be encouraged and supported.