As Judge, Donna Groman will Implement Community Justice

By Donna Groman

How Community Justice (Restorative Justice) will Reduce Crime and Empower Victims

Community Justice is based on the concept that those who have been injured by crime must be restored, and that victims, community members AND the offender should be able to participate in that restoration process.

Some offenders are currently required to pay restitution, which is monetary compensation to a crime victim. This is one way to hold offenders accountable.

Community service is another way to hold offenders accountable for their actions, and to show them how crime affects all of us in the community. If the specific community service assigned parallells the crime, offenders will more readily see how they have harmed the community at large.

Community Justice empowers victims and community members and forces offenders to accept responsibility for their actions.

I believe that community justice helps victims to feel restored and gives offenders alternatives to repeating harmful behavior. As a Judge, I will strive to accomplish this goal.