• The Restorative Justice Panel is a volunteer group of Community Members from the Greater Essex Area, including Underhill, Jericho, Westford, Colchester, and Milton. This group works with people who cause harm and those impacted by that harm.  The purpose of the Panel is to support people affected by crime and provide responsible parties with the opportunity to acknowledge their wrongdoing and to make amends to individuals affected by the crime and the community.  In some cases, the CJC and its volunteers are able to offer alternative practices called Restorative Justice Conferences or Restorative Circles.

  • Volunteers and staff provide support to victims of crime in the Essex community. We can work with victims in many ways, including providing victims with emotional support, connecting people with resources, or helping them develop a safety plan.

  • Are you having a disruptive conflict with someone? Maybe a neighbor, family member, or someone in the broader community? Would you like to address the issue constructively but feel stuck? Do you want to build stronger conflict engagement skills to address challenging situations before they escalate? The Conflict Assistance Program offers a range of low or no cost services to assist with conflict and building stronger communities:

    • Restorative dialogues

    • Mediations

    • Conflict coaching

    • Conflict engagement workshops

    We are currently partnering with the Burlington Community Justice Center to coordinate our services across Chittenden County. Please check out the intake form on their website to get started with a Conflict Assistance Program Inquiry.

  • The CJC works in partnership with other community organizations to develop educational programs and to facilitate community discussions about crime prevention, safety issues, or other justice related topics.

  • Essex CJC collaborates with the South Burlington CJC to offer Safe Driving in Chittenden County. The program provides educational classes designed to teach participants about the consequences of unsafe, impaired, and/or distracted driving. Program goals focus on understanding the impact of our actions, taking responsibility, and changing behaviors to be the safest driver possible. Safe Driving is offered in locations across Vermont through a partnership between the Community Justice Center Network of Vermont and the Governor’s Highway Safety Program.

    Please read the Safe Driving Program Expectations Sheet for more information on registration and participation.

  • The Essex Community Justice Center provides reentry services for individuals returning to our community from incarceration. Creating a safe and engaged community is essential for fostering a positive environment where members feel supported and connected. The following services are designed to enhance community safety and encourage active participation among residents.

    • Community Transition Program: The Community Transition Program is designed to support individuals who are leaving incarceration and reentering their communities. This program serves these individuals in their first 90 days of community living.  The program provides resource navigation, individual support, community connections, skill development, social activities, and access to trainings and CJC events. Specific support and referrals are available in the areas of employment, housing, and treatment.  Tangible resources such as bus passes and/or vouchers for clothing and/or furniture may be available once an individual participating in the Community Transition Program has established a pattern of positive engagement with the program.

    • Ongoing Support Program: This program is designed to provide ongoing support to reentry clients who want help maintaining their progress in the community post-incarceration.  Those who may experience challenges for weeks, months or longer after reentry and/or may need a higher level of support if there is a life event that adds extra stress such as the loss of employment, complicated living situations or increased risk of criminal behavior.  Clients may enter this program after completion of 90 days in the Community Transition Program.  Staff will meet with reentry clients regularly to support them in areas of need as identified by the client, their supervising Probation Officer, or the CJC. The ongoing Support Program focuses on deepening a person’s roots in the community and establishing a natural support system through individual meetings and community activities.

    • Restorative Support Program: The Restorative Support Program uses a restorative circle of volunteers to help support a client struggling in the community post-incarceration.  Volunteers are trained and ready to support an individual who may be struggling with a specific issue or who may be at risk for going back to prison.  This program requires a self-referral, or referral from a supervising Probation/Parole Officer.  The circle may meet one time to help a client problem solve a specific situation or may meet several times to help a client through a tough time or transition.  The circle will support, brainstorm and help a client hold themselves accountable for patterns of thinking and behavior that may have a negative impact on their life.  

    • Circle of Support and Accountability (COSA) Program: The Circle of Support and Accountability (CoSA) is an evidence-based model of engaging with someone who is exiting incarceration after completing a sentence for a serious crime and who is at risk of reoffending. The mission of a CoSA is to enhance community safety and repair relationships by supporting Core Members (the individuals reentering the community) to successfully rejoin the community and commit no further offenses.

      Each CoSA team is composed of the Core Member, a small group of volunteers (usually 3), and a reentry coordinator. This team meets weekly to support the Core Member in developing healthy relationships and maintaining healthy patterns of living, managing day-to-day life, and holding the Core Member accountable for adhering to post-release expectations. Weekly meetings may include talking about daily struggles, anticipating challenges, and providing role modeling of behavior and positive activities.

      A diverse group of CoSA volunteers with varied experiences and perspectives is essential to help prepare a Core Member to support themselves and live productive lives, as well as serving an important role in the safety and health of our community.