West Virginia- West Virginia communities including Wheeling, Kermit, Lewisburg, Berkeley Springs, Shepherdstown, Elkins and Fairmont have hosted community-building talking circles to solve local issues.
The West Virginia Restorative Justice Project said it plans to expand its work in the new year.
Nicole Bailey, board member of the nonprofit, said restorative justice can be used in criminal justice to repair harm and restore relationships, in families or help parties tackle community issues such as homelessness or substance use recovery. She added restorative justice is most widely used in the criminal justice system.
“You can bring in the person who’s been harmed and the person who caused the harm, as well as other community members who may have been affected,” Bailey explained.
The West Virginia restorative justice summit will be held next June, and is hosting a training with national restorative justice leader Kay Pranis in Ripley in March.
Nicholas Cochran, also a board member of the project, said across the Mountain State, residents are increasingly finding alternative paths toward conflict resolution.
“Last year we had 17 sites and around 250 participants,” Cochran recounted. “This year, we had 20 sites and over 250 participants. So we’ve seen some expansion there.”
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, young people who have committed harm, as well as victims, can especially benefit from restorative justice. Research shows restorative justice programs can help reduce future harmful behavior and increase victim satisfaction and perceptions of fairness in the justice system.
