NCJ Number
203199
Date Published
2001
Length
0 pages
Annotation
After explaining and portraying the principles of Pennsylvania's juvenile justice Balanced and Restorative Justice model, this video profiles the programs in various Pennsylvania counties that are implementing this model.
Abstract
The Balanced and Restorative Justice model focuses on balancing the needs of the victim and community with the rights and needs of the juvenile offender in managing each case. This balance is expressed in the concepts of "victim restoration," "youth redemption," and "community protection." In the video, these principles are explained by the senior justice of the Court of Common Pleas in York County, PA, accompanied by explanatory comments by juvenile justice professionals and brief video clips of the principles in operation. After providing an overview of the principles of the Balanced and Restorative Justice model, the video portrays programs that implement the principles in some of the State's counties. A total of seven programs are profiled. Many of the programs are under the leadership of the county juvenile probation agencies. They aim to hold juvenile probationers accountable for their offenses by supervising their activities in community service and the development of job skills, anger management, and general social skills. In the course of supervising juvenile probationers, the emphasis is not only on accountability and behavioral and attitudinal modification, but also on repairing the harm done to their victims by providing financial restitution and other services that can help repair the harm done by the offender. Some of the programs portrayed involve alternative procedures for addressing juvenile offenses. These methods consist of forums that involve victims, offenders, and community representatives in a cooperative effort to assess the harms done by the offense, what is required to repair them, and how the offender should be accountable in repairing the harms and correcting the behavior that caused the harm.