Restorative Justice Panel Volunteer Job Description

JOB TITLE:    Member, Essex, Colchester and Milton Restorative Justice Panel

LOCATION:     Essex, Colchester or Milton

PURPOSE OF POSITION: To serve on a working citizen panel among whose duties is to work in a group with offenders and victims and to support offenders to repair the harm they have caused.

DUTIES:  With other Panel members, engages in conversations with offenders, victims and affected parties to help facilitate the creation of an agreement that attempts to repair harm to those affected by crime.  Assess an offender’s compliance with the agreement they create with the Panel, and support the offender’s completion with the agreement for reparations.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Willingness and ability to:

  • Engage in a restorative process

  • Work with a team  

  • Take direction from staff

  • Be fair

  • To listen

  • To be non-judgmental

  • To use restorative practice rather than punitive approaches to crime and conflict in your community

Prospective Volunteers will not:

  • Have a violent criminal history, or multiple felonies

  • Be under the supervision of the Department of Corrections

  • Be in the process of completing their own Reparative Panel agreement or;

  • Have any other complicating entanglements with the Department of Corrections, or their local law enforcement agency including but not limited to; pending or resolved legal actions, civil action or informal history that would create a conflict of interest.TRAINING: All volunteers for the Essex Community Justice Center must have the following training prior to serving as a Panel member:

  • Basic Orientation to the Department of Corrections through the DOC Volunteer Coordinator

  • Basic Reparative Panel Training

  • Observation of at least 3 Restorative Justice Panels

BENEFITS:  Assisting those affected by crime in your local community and supporting your local community in becoming stronger and safer. Reducing the time and cost for taxpayers and offenders by addressing crime locally.  Supporting those affected by crime to seek reparations and have a voice in the justice system. Support a program that reduces recidivism.

TIME COMMITMENT: A minimum commitment of one-year service on a Panel, and attendance at least 1-2 times monthly to that Panel.  Additional expectations include case preparations, initial trainings, ongoing trainings, annual Reparative Panel Refresher Training and attendance at quarterly business meetings.  If you are inactive on the Panel for 6 months or more, you will need to complete steps to update your volunteer status before becoming active.

AUTHORITY AND SUPERVISION: The work activities and the restorative processes of the reparative Panel will be supported and coordinated by the Restorative Justice Panel Coordinator and at the discretion of the Essex Community Justice Center Director.