Restorative Justice

An interesting session on Restorative Justice, the only time in the ATSA conference that a survivor has had the stage. Restorative Justice has the potential to provide ways complemetary to the criminal system which allow victims to be more empowered.

Bethany Thompson described her experiences of rape and how she now does a victim empathy part of a RJ course. This is a course set up with support from the state attorney, for rape cases such as 'acquaintance rape' where the attorney cannot get a conviction because juries will not convict. The man agrees to take part in the programme, called SBIP, the Sexual Behaviours Intervention Programme, doesn't admit liability but acknowledges 'offensive sexual behaviour'  in front of the victim in open court. They also make a donation to a charity of the victims choice and are tested for STDs. The prosecutor will drop the charge when the person concerned has completed all requirements, including completion of the SBIP course, which the perpetrator pays for.

So far there has been no independent evaluation or long-term follow up, and, although the programme will be seen as controversial, appears to have some potential for providing ways for victims who don't get justice through the courts to see some justice being done.  The programme is clearly there because of the failures of the criminal justice system to secure results for victims according to the law, and removes the usual sentencing structures; as such it also has the potential to remove resonsibility from policy-makers to improve current systems.  However this doesn't detract from the restorative element and the work that Bethany and other survivors are doing.