Concord Restorative Circle

Concord Restorative Circle
“Excellent process. Provides closure which would normally be lacking in a more formal process.”
The Concord Restorative Circle is a community based program of volunteers organized to respond to misdemeanors and felonies committed by young offenders referred by the Concord Police Department. The program brings together the offenders, their victims and members of the Concord community so that all involved will understand exactly what happened, what specific harm resulted from the incident and what needs to be done to repair that harm. The Circle process is complete when the terms of agreement reached through consensus are fulfilled and the participants reconvene to share what has been learned. There are 26 Restorative Circle volunteers who meet monthly for training and sharing of experiences. Founded in 2000, Concord Restorative Circle is becoming a model for communities throughout the Boston area.
“The offenders really grew in the process and so did I.”
	Before the Circle alternative was in place, young offenders were routinely referred to the District Court for a lengthy process typically involving hearings, lawyers, court dates and probation. The Concord Police Department has long felt the need for a structured alternative to the traditional judicial process for young offenders who admit their wrongdoing. The principles embodied in the community based Restorative Justice model seem ideal for this purpose. Victims have an opportunity to be heard, to confront those who harmed them and to receive reparation. Young offenders hear and understand the impact of their actions and accept responsibility for making amends to their victims. Representatives of Concord express the attitudes of the community when one of its members has been victimized by another and can play a role in restoring broken relationships.