Judicial Branch - JPO- Restorative Justice

The Juvenile Probation Office with the Judicial Branch of Helena now has an opportunity for a small group of Volunteer Community Members who are interested in helping at-risk youth in the Helena area for Restorative Justice which is widely recognized as an effective way to reduce youth recidivism and improve victim satisfaction with the legal system. Currently, 140 countries use Restorative Justice practices which divert youth out of the traditional system by involving volunteer community members, those affected, supporters and at-risk youth to decide how to repair the harm that has been done from minor offenses such as: petty theft, trespassing, minor in possession, destruction of public property, status offense, simple assault, loitering and public intoxication. Volunteers support a healthier, safer and more productive community. The Mayo Clinic links volunteer time to reduced stress and increased positive and relaxed feelings. The National Alliance Against Mental Illness (NAMI) directly links volunteering with: • Developing confidence, • Finding purpose, and • Improving happiness Please contact Morgan at: (406) 447-8230 if you are interested in becoming a volunteer!

Youth Justice Council is a group of trained community volunteers who conference with offenders and victims who agree to participate in a Restorative Justice program to provide an alternative to the traditional systems by involving everyone who was part of the incident directly, or indirectly, in a positive and constructive way to increase awareness of the full impact of the behavior and to repair trust through a mutually obtained agreement to support positive and effective resolutions to problems.