The Crime Victim Role: Family Group Decision Making and Restorative

Group Conferencing

Susan BlackburnPatti NossApril 23, 2014

Workshop Objectives• Identify and compare the core values and principles

of Family Group Decision Making and Restorative Group Conferencing

• Recognize the similarities and the differences in the meeting process between the 2 models

• Differentiate the role of the crime victim in each

model

• Recognize how each model addresses the reduction of the traumatic stress of justice involvement by families, youth and crime victims

Systemic Clarifications• Balanced and Restorative Justice is the mission of

the Pennsylvania Juvenile Justice System built on values, principles and beliefs

• Restorative Group Conferencing is a process/program that encompasses those values, principles and beliefs and empowers crime victims

• Family Group Decision Making is a practice built on values, principles and beliefs supported by the PA Department of Public Welfare and The Administrative Office of the PA Supreme Court

• The Family Group Conference is a process that encompasses those values, principles and beliefs while empowering families and community

Community Protection Victim Restoration

Youth RedemptionThree Clients: Community Victims Youth

Three goals:Community ProtectionAccountabilityCompetency Development

PA Balanced and Restorative Justice

4

Shared Interest

OffenderInterests

VictimInterests

CommunityInterests

Victim/Offender/

Community

What is FGDM?

•Family Group Decision Making is a strength based, solution focused, collaborative practice that draws on the inherent strength and knowledge of family and community

•A practice that addresses key concerns in order for an agreed upon purpose to be achieved via a written and collaborative planning process

FGDM : Foundational Values and Beliefs

• Families have strengths and can change

• Strengths resolve concerns

• Family Members should be the primary decision makers for their family

• Empowering people is preferable to controlling them

Empowering families will lead to families controlling their lives

Family Members know their families best

Children are best raised in

families

Families should be respected

Mistakes are opportunities for growth and development

•All families have the greatest investment in seeing their children safe and successful

•All families have the ability to come together and solve family concerns

•All families have some resources they can count on to help them in times of need

What is RGC ?• Restorative Group Conferencing is a practice

which provides opportunities for those most directly affected by a crime (victim, offender, families, and other community members) to be actively involved in the process of addressing harms, needs and obligations

• Conferencing focuses on offender accountability and repair of the harm, victim healing, and community safety, through a face-to-face encounter/dialogue

RGC Process: Foundational Values and Beliefs

•When a crime is committed victims and communities are harmed

•By committing these offenses, juvenile offenders incur an obligation to repair that harm

•Victims, communities, offenders and their families should have opportunities for active involvement in the justice process

Comparison of Meeting Process

Family Group Decision MakingRestorative Group Conferencing

• Referral• Preparation• Meeting Process

▫ Introductions▫ Guidelines▫ Family Tradition▫ Brief History▫ Sharing of Strengths▫ Sharing of Concerns▫ Agency Bottom Line

Concerns

• Referral• Preparation• Meeting Process

▫ Introductions▫ Review Process and

Incident▫ Participants Stories

Victim or Offender (victim’s choice)

Input from supporters of each

▫ Discussion on harms, needs and prevention

▫ Reparations, needs, and prevention plan

Family Group Decision Making Stages

Restorative Group Conferencing Stages

• Meeting Process (con’t)▫Sharing of

Resources▫Sharing of a meal▫Private family time▫Presentation and

acceptance of the family plan

• Follow-up via Post Conference and 30 Day Call

• Meeting Process (con’t)▫Acceptance by

group of the plan components

▫Plan write up/documentation Facilitator Sharing of meal

(very optional)• Follow-up

Dynamics of Victimization•A crime victim does not choose to be a

victim•Many crime victims suffer from the crime

and can be impacted in numerous ways such as:▫Physical, financial, and emotional harm▫Crisis reactions and PTSD

•The effects from victimization vary with individual victims

•Care must be used when assessing the victims ability to face the offender/family

Concerns Around Victim Inclusion

•Varying levels of crime victim trauma

•Relationship of crime victim to the child and family

•Confidentiality for crime victim, child and family

•There may be times that a crime victim may not be appropriate for a family group conference

Crime Victim Role

Family Group Decision MakingRestorative Group Conferencing

• Process is family driven with victim voice followed

• Youth must admit to offense• Preparation is

comprehensive for both crime victim and their supporters• Victim has a choice as to

what level of involvement, if any, they want

• Victim may incorporate a “bottom line concern” that addresses their needs which the youth/family must address

• Process is victim- focused• Participation is voluntary• Youth must admit to offense• Preparation is comprehensive for

both crime victim and their supporters

• Victims may be asked to complete an impact statement

• Victim(s) and supports are seated first

• Victim has option of speaking first

• Meeting Process▫ Participants share their stories▫ express their feelings and

needs

RGC and FGDM Similarities• RGC provides a format for

the inclusion of all parties

• RGC provides a format for the offending juvenile and his/her family to be accountable and responsible to repair the harm caused to the victim and the community

• RGC provides a venue in which that participation can occur safely

• RGC provides an opportunity for the family / participants to develop a plan that addresses accountability, competency development and community protection

• FGDM provides a format for the inclusion of all parties

• FGDM provides a format for accountability to occur in a collaborative manner to ensure that the juvenile is held accountable and responsible

• FGDM provides a venue in which that participation can occur safely

• FGDM provides an opportunity for the family group to develop a plan that addresses accountability, competency development, and community protection

RGC and FGDM DifferencesRGC

▫ Incident focused

▫ Victim centered

▫ Victim /community needs

▫ Participants narrative

(victim option for speaking

first)

▫ No Private Participant time

▫ Victim Empowerment

FGDM

• Family driven

• Family and victim needs

• Sharing of strengths

• Sharing of concerns

• Private Family time• Family and Victim

Empowerment

Victim Voice in RGC/FGDMRGC

Victim’s choice to be involved:

Not involvedSubmit a victim impact

statementMake an informed decision

to participate in a RGCSecondary victim’s can be

involved in they choose

FGDM

Victim’s choice to be involved as they choose:

Not involvedWritten statementWritten statement with

accountability expectationPhoned in for part or all of

FGCPresent for part or all of

FGC

FGDM & RGC in Juvenile Justice: •Both processes are a means to address

juvenile justice goals•Both processes are evidence based practices

FGDM/RGC Work Best :•As a diversion to entering the Juvenile

Justice System/Intake•When a juvenile has admitted to the offense or

been adjudicated of the offense•When a juvenile is under JPO supervision•When a juvenile is returning from placement

Questions/Comments