Wednesday, 17 February 2010

Yellowknife's Community Justice Committee seeking volunteers

John Howard Society of the Northwest Territories

The John Howard Society of the NWT Logo by you.

is seeking community-minded volunteers interested in the

Yellowknife

Community Justice Committee

Community Justice is an alternative measure to the usual court procedures for first time and

young offenders who are not involved in serious or violent crimes

Orientation is on March 20, 2010

A police record check is required

For more information contact

Lydia Bardak at 920-4276

Community Justice

http://www.justice.gov.nt.ca/CommunityJustice/CommunityJusticeCommittees.shtml

Community Justice Committees are made up of local volunteers who are interested in justice issues in their community and have a desire to help youth and adult offenders take responsibility for their actions, making the community a safer place to live. Members of the Justice Committee are appointed under the NWT Youth Justice Act and communities have a paid coordinator in place to assist in the administration of committee functions. You can read more on the appointment process here.

Restorative justice in the NWT is achieved by using alternative measures. By using alternative measures, criminal matters are diverted by the Police or Crown away from the traditional court system and are handled in the community by the Justice Committee. The offender does not get a criminal record by this process. Restorative justice can be defined as: "a process to involve, to the extent possible, those who have a stake in a specific offence and to collectively identify and address harms, needs, and obligations, in order to heal and put things as right as possible" (Howard Zehr).

The following documents will explain in detail what alternative measures are and how a case goes through the alternative measures/restorative justice process.

Persons who wish to join the local Justice Committee and participate in diversion hearings must be a citizen of good standing within the community; as well they should
not have a recent or serious criminal record (including crimes against children, homicide, weapons or sexual offence convictions).