Restitution - A Guidebook for Juvenile Justice Practitioners

• NCJ Number: 91916
• Author(s): T Armstrong; M Hofford; D Maloney; C Remington; D Steenson
• Date Published: 1983
• Length: 102 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-JN-AX-0016
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
• Sale Source: National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Juvenile Justice Textbook Series

Annotation

Initiatives sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention from 1978 to 1981 demonstrated restitution's great potential for positive change in the juvenile court system. The authors discuss the roots of reparative justice as well as recent research findings, identify principles to guide program development in any community, and offer practical guidelines on restitution program development.

Abstract

An introduction explores the evolution of the restitution concept across different cultures, current practices in the United States, and problems for future programming. In the juvenile courts, restitution returns accountability to the system and benefits many different actors -- the victim, the court, the justice practitioner, and juvenile offenders. In addition, research on the relationship between skill development and remediation of delinquency suggests that skill development activities should be incorporated into juvenile restitution programs, although offenders must receive sufficient training to allow them a reasonable chance to complete their restitution agreements. The text delineates four principles that underlie any effective restitution programming: (1) through criminal misconduct the offender has an obligation which must be fulfilled; (2) the offender possesses the competence to fulfill this obligation; (3) the terms of the restitution order must be clear, measurable, and achievable; (4) the justice system has a responsibility to the victim. The final chapter details the administrative steps necessary to begin a new restitution program, categorized as program design, implementation, and operational issues. Specific topics discussed include needs assessment, program locus, enabling legislation, public relations, community participation, eligibility criteria, intake procedures, restitution loss assessment, and determining types of payments. The appendixes contain a summary of a national evaluation of restitution programs, a flow chart for a generic program, a walk-through of a model program, and 37 references.