Expanding a community's justice response to sex crimes through advocacy, prosecutorial, and public health collaboration: Introducing the RESTORE program

Mary P. Koss, Karen J. Bachar, C. Quince Hopkins, Carolyn Carlson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

Problems in criminal justice system response to date-acquaintance rape and nonpenetration sexual offenses include (a) they are markers of a sexual offending career, yet are viewed as minor; (b) perpetrators are not held accountable in ways that reduce reoffense; and (c) criminal justice response disappoints and traumatizes victims. To address these problems, a collaboration of victim services, prosecutors, legal scholars, and public health professionals are implementing and evaluating RESTORE, a victim-driven, community-based restorative justice program for selected sex crimes. RESTORE prepares survivors, responsible persons (offenders), and both parties' families and friends for face-to-face dialogue to identify the harm and develop a redress plan. The program then monitors the offender's compliance for 12 months. The article summarizes empirical data on problems in criminal justice response, defines restorative justice models, and examines outcome. Then the RESTORE program processes and goals are described. The article highlights community collaboration in building and sustaining this program.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1435-1463
Number of pages29
JournalJournal of interpersonal violence
Volume19
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2004

Keywords

  • Community-based restorative justice: Collaboration
  • Rape
  • Restorative justice models
  • Sexual assault

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology
  • Applied Psychology

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