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Pretrial mediation bill implements restorative justice concepts

Given my interest on this blog with the "restorative justice" movement, I'm pleased to see HB 2139 by McLendon on Thursday's House Corrections Committee agenda, "relating to the establishment, operation, and funding of pretrial victim-offender mediation programs."A restorative justice approach focuses on meeting victims' needs instead of indulging the punitive populist impulse, which exactly describes this bill's focus.HB 2139 would allow counties or municipalities to utilize "pretrial mediation" between offenders and crime victims instead of prosecuting low-level crimes. The system could only be used in state jail felony cases and lower where the defendant has no prior convictions. Participation would require consent by both the crime victim and defendant, who as part of a mediation agreement would have to apologize to the victim and pay restitution or perform community service, as well as pay related court costs...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on March 17, 2009 (boomark / email).