Posted by Linda Ireland on Feb 13, 2019
Message from Lindsey Schwartz, Topeka Center for Peace and Justice - our club's Signature Grant Recipient
 
The Topeka Center for Peace and Justice is seeking community volunteers to form a Community Victim's Panel. TCPJ Mediation Program and the Community Victim’s Panel are based on a belief in the efficacy of restorative justice as the best means of achieving meaningful resolution of the conflicts arising from first time, low level criminal offenses.
 
Restorative Justice - as it is practiced in our program - is a system of conflict resolution in which first time offenders can bypass the courts and standard criminal case adjudication.  Instead, they participate in a collaborative process with a mediator and, in Community Victim’s Panel cases, citizen board members who represent the community at large and the victim.
 
The Community Victim’s Panel members listen, help offenders develop a deeper awareness of the harmful effects of their actions on their victims and the community, and assist in developing a restorative plan of action.
 
We will be holding a few information sessions about how to become a Community Victim's Panel member in the upcoming weeks. The information session should last about an hour.
 
If you are interested in becoming a panel member, please email the Program Director: Lindsey Anderson @ tcpjmediation@gmail.com.  For an information packet, CLICK HERE.