Wyoming is working on establishing its first adult restorative justice program. Restorative justice is a method of dealing with a crime that seeks to repair the damage done, rather than just punish the perpetrator, and to give more of a voice to the victim. It often involves a mediated meeting between victim and perpetrator.
There are already restorative justice programs in the state for juvenile offenders. But Victim Services Coordinator, Randi Losalu, says this is the first adult program she knows of in Wyoming.
“It’s a little bit different because it’s post-conviction for adult offender, and so it is a little bit different than I think restorative justice on the juvenile side would be,” says Losalu.
Four volunteers went to a restorative justice training last month to learn how to conduct sessions with victims and perpetrators. Losalu is currently working to finalize the program’s policies and procedures and says it should be available at the start of 2014.