Restorative justice seeks to address the root cause of an offenders problematic behavior and offer real justice and restitution for the victim, according to the prosecuting attorneys office. Many youth avoid secure detention. As part of RCP, youth are able to connect to services and interventions aimed at repairing the harm that they caused and reducing their likelihood of reoffending. Rep. Kirsten Harris-Talley 37th Legislative District, Co-Sponsor. , Youth who are eligible for diversion, along with their parent or guardian, meet with a team of trained volunteers (learn more about the Partnership for Youth Justice program and theDiversion Community Accountability BoardHERE)oran individual staff member todetermine what goes into the Diversion Agreement. This 2020 short documentary presented by the Seattle Seahawks, tells the story of Restorative Community Pathways, a program that seeks to alter the current juvenile legal system and instead. We provide youth mentors and access to programs focused on personal healing, identity development, and leadership building. The priorities presented today will begin to address some of the injustices the Black community and other communities of color have experienced for decades in King County, Brown said. All Rights Reserved. Its a community problem. King County hasnt resolved how it will tackle the next four years of juvenile justice reform. Jeremy Crowe, Restorative Programs Supervisor, (206) 477-6528, Step-Up is an internationally recognized adolescent family violence intervention program designed to address youth, violence (including threats, intimidation, property destruction, degrading language and physical violence) toward, family members. Under the RCP, the potential school shooter would be referred to one of the community groups such as 180 Collective, which initially proposed RCPs creation. In 2021, we had, by far in the history of this county, the lowest number of juvenile referrals into my office, Hung said. Kids engage in risk-taking, Hung said. Our coalition has found that the roots of the problem start local. Creative Justice and Collective Justiceare working with the King County Department of Public Defense to form Restorative Community Pathways, a consortium of service providers for children facing potential misdemeanor . Diversion: Keep people out of the prison system and in community. Play Play Play Play . This begs the question as to why the county prosecutors chose this scenario out of all the ones available to put into their presentation to cities, rather than a less serious case of schoolyard fighting. Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. What does dysfunction in these systems cost our livelihoods, health, family wellbeing, and taxes? Dolphy Jordan, a Seattle-based member of the Incarcerated Childrens Advocacy Network, spent 21 years in Washington prisons for a murder he committed when he was 16. 6) As an elected official, political activist, or civic involved person, come and learn or share your concerns for systemic change. Under the existing system, 99.9% of the resources are directed toward the offender and next to no resources are given to the victim, Hung said. Similarly, Jordan suggested that young people who are unable to have a positive response to out-patient restorative justice programs might need a long term in-patient care facility staffed by counselors who have experienced mental health crises, substance abuse, systemic racism, and housing insecurity. Young people kept in the community through their dedication and our support have gone on to enroll in college, start businesses, graduate from high school, and help rebuild our communities. However, just as there are many homeless who have no desire to reenter normal society, there are criminals who plan to continue that lifestyle. But despite the new alternatives, the number of young people spending the night in cells in the mural-bedecked facility on Alder Street has effectively plateaued. County audits have found that fare enforcement disproportionately targets the homeless and people of color. The new center was built next to the decaying, 69-year-old Youth Services Center. Community Passageways is driven by the belief that guidance and support are more effective in inspiring people to make positive choices, seeing their unlimited potential and envisioning a future where they can live their lives fully. The reality of the situation is that the criminal justice system often does more harm than good, he said, especially when it comes to kids. The result? We are looking at every option to scrape together the money we need to deal with the economic climate were in, as well as the urgent need to press ahead right now, while we have the chance on racial justice.. Working hands-on with those directly impacted, You will learn to innovate and bring forward new solutions that help people adjust. CONTACT If you look at some of the young people who are engaged in some of these most serious offenses, said Hung, I have some serious questions about how were going to ensure public safety and also have no detention facility at all. A proposal to pause the recently implemented Restorative Community Pathways program, a program intended to divert juvenile criminal cases from the juvenile justice system into a rehabilitative program, has ignited a countywide debate on justice reform in our region. We have a four-pronged approach to community justice: Prevention: Keep youth on a good path. Hung said data over many decades suggest how effective restorative justice can be in changing behaviors of juvenile offenders, especially when compared to the effects that incarceration has been shown to have on youth. Change a young persons life by donating to Community Passageways. Featured Image: A No New Youth Jail advocate protests outside the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center. Community Passageways (CP) is a Seattle based nonprofit founded in 2017 with a vision for zero youth incarceration. Thats not just his opinion either. Youth who successfully complete a diversion have the addedbenefit of handling a criminal incident without having a criminal conviction. The FIRS Center is a unique respite facility within the Patricia Clark Children and Family Justice Center offering analternative to secure detention for youth referred for family violence. We employ men and women from the community who share similar racial, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds with our young people who have lived experience navigating the full spectrum of the school-to-prison pipeline to act as credible messengers and Ambassadors. 5) Ally with us as a non-profit, share your point of views, your challenges and wisdom, so we can team up to bridge gaps and resolve conflicts. Play Earlier this week we introduced you to the King Countys Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) program and how it evades the judiciary section of the criminal justice system. Restorative Community Pathways is an evidence and community-based program to help change a youths behavior, reducing crime and creating a better future for themselves, their families, and our community. I think we as a society, and especially in America, need to have a come to Jesus moment on what our criminal justice system is actually capable of, Hung said. It may be something that looks very much like detention, but are we going to call it something different and claim that were at zero youth detention?. There should be real ramifications, including prosecution, for these dangerous crimes.. A World That Relies on Community and Not Courtrooms. It provides public safety so theyre not oppositional. But lets take organized retail theft or organized burglary, which also falls underneath the program and is a huge problem right now in King County. The courtrooms in the old center were cramped and gave little privacy to young defendants, while the new facilitys courtrooms offer more breathing room. The proposals, part of the biennial budget that Constantine will present next week, have been spurred by the months of protests against police brutality and systemic racism that have dominated the nation and the region this summer. The FIRS team works with families to assess risk, identify needs, complete safety planning and refer for appropriateservices. So last November, King County launched a new diversion process for youth called Restorative Community Pathways. Instead of suspensions and expulsions, we strive for restorative and culturally-relevant programming. Four of the most prominent existing programs Choose 180, Community Passageways, Creative Justice, and Collective Justice are working with the King County Department of Public Defense to form Restorative Community Pathways, a consortium of service providers for children facing potential misdemeanor or first-time felony charges. Restorative Community Pathways is a diversion program that sends lower-level juvenile cases mostly misdemeanors, up to offenses like burglary, car theft, and gun charges to community. It's a diversion program for some first-time criminal offenders. 410 W. Bakerview Rd Suite 110, Rm #145 Restorative Community Pathways is a community response to harm that focuses on healing and . Some might argue that citing potential school shooters is fear-mongering because such instances are rare. But, Hung said, reasonably this kind of situation would make more sense to be dealt with between the families in a community-based approach, rather than to drag that student into the juvenile justice system. The FIRS Center is staffed 24/7 by Pioneer Human Services. These models are designed to provide timely, therapeutic, and restorative support to youth and families. . We have a four-pronged approach to community justice: Prevention: Keep youth on a good path. What must be made clear to them is that criminal behavior is not acceptable regardless of who does it, that they have a moral obligation to respect other peoples rights and property as others do toward them, and that there are long-term repercussions if the behavior continues. Finding alternatives for most of the young people in detention facing serious charges, and for those who have passed through the prosecutors office multiple times, will be a delicate process. Some restorative justice advocates including people who spent time in youth detention centers challenge the additional scrutiny shown to young people charged with serious crimes, particularly violent ones. (Photo: DJ Martinez). Restorative Community Pathways includes appropriate services and support for harmed parties, and restitution so that youths who cannot pay fines and other financial obligations do not end up in a cycle of probation violations and incarceration. The goals of FIRSinclude:decreasing violence in the home,preventing further police contact, and increasing family safety and well-being. Contact King County Executive Dow Constantine and tell him not to move forward with the RCP for adults! At the end of a Thursday in early March, 28 teenagers sat in the King County Juvenile Detention Center on Alder Street in Seattles Central District. Last July, Constantine made a commitment to guide the County toward an end to youth detention by 2025, promising to transition the new detention center to other uses and [shift] public dollars away from systems that are rooted in oppression and into those that maintain public health and safety, and help people on a path to success.. The current program includes: Criminal youth dictating how the program is run Over 25 people signed up to testify in support of the Restorative Community Pathways program. Bakerview Square Business Suites Follow us and connect below: 1429 AVENUE D #262, SNOHOMISH, WA, 98290-1742. On a more fundamental level, Hung said he believes that when it comes to community safety, the people who actually live in communities affected by crime know whats best for their community. A $6.2 million program called "Restorative Community Pathways" would refer up to 800 young people, by 2023, to community-based services, rather than filing criminal charges against them. Seattle Times staff reporter King County will keep moving forward with a new juvenile restorative justice program, passed in the wake of 2020's mass racial justice protests, despite the. TTY: Relay: 711 Thats why RCP exists. Extensive information about Step-Up, including program curriculum, is available, Step-Up accepts referrals from court staff, community providers and families and facilitates both individual and group. Director of Programs. , Youth are referred to diversion by the Prosecuting Attorneys Office. If a young person goes through programming and they end up slipping back into behavior thats challenging or problematic, then people look at the work and say, Oh, well, this program didnt work, he said. If caught, they get a slap on the wrist via the RCP and get a cut of the action that is likely more than what theyd earn working an honest job. Now, we look at how its actually run and our recommendations on how to change it. Restorative justice is about public safety. This includes increased gun violence in domestic violence situations, around homelessness, and interestingly enough, road rage. Thediversion process is usually quicker and less stressful than the court process. Support: Support people already in the prison system. Restorative Community Pathways has funds to offer the victims of crimes immediate restitution without going through a lengthy court process, Hung said. But the windowless cells and steel doors are a reminder that the purpose of the new building is unchanged. FIRS is a collaborative intervention and approach to address adolescent family violence in a timely, therapeutic, andtrauma-informed alternative to formal court involvement. Many of us know that something is wrong with the criminal justice system, but we dont know what to do about it or where to start. Theres nothing about that new building that feels like a therapeutic space, he said. If you or someone you care about is being negatively impacted by public health and safety issues, we are here for you. The FIRS Center is a safe, positive, andsupportive space. And thats where I think the community comes in and they do a much much better job than we could ever do.. Just like there are some homeless who genuinely want to get back on their feet, there are some criminals who, if given the opportunity, will leave that life behind and lead productive lives. . Restorative Community Pathways for youth offenders contrasts with traditional prosecution. He detailed how a juveniles involvement in the court system and the criminal justice environment can damage a young persons self-esteem and self-worth, making them more likely to develop a life of criminality. RCP is an important step on King Countys journey to zero youth detention, as the County divests from the juvenile legal system responses to youth in crisis and invests in a community-based diversion response, and the early results are promising. Director . We will gather a wealth of wisdom from our diversity: 1) Join us at our monthly community Membership meeting to learn from others directly about their experiences, their problems and resolutions. Available data for the program provided by the Prosecuting Attorneys Office, while early, is promising. The FIRS Center is staffed 24/7 by Pioneer Human Services. 2) Reach out to us related to the iChange Justice Podcast offer suggestions, ask questions, nominate guests. They feel like they have to act differently. A proposal to pause the recently implemented Restorative Community Pathways program, a program intended to divert juvenile criminal cases from the juvenile justice system into a. CONTACT Julie Schulman testified as someone who had been involved in the justice system as a young person and someone who works with youth in support of RCP as well. The COVID recession, along with the need to fundamentally transform our criminal legal system, created necessary budget reductions for the King County Sheriffs Office, Gallagher said. It is at the early education, intervention, 911 call, the hospital and at the jail doors. After citing existing law, the prosecutors office comes to this conclusion in this hypothetical scenario. It could be a service center for homeless youth and their families, or a place where young people could have access to detox services. Khandelwal called it a a long overdue departure from a racist, ineffective and failed legal system.. But there are other treatments that are available. 1) It helps real people in real time to deal with real issues up close and personal. He said RCP provides better accountability for the offender and more support for the victims of crimes compared to the traditional court system. Youthhave the opportunity tosign out-of-court agreements in lieu of criminal charging and formal court. Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) is the best way to reduce the juvenile crime rate in King County, said Jimmy Hung, Chief Deputy Prosecutor at King Countys Juvenile Division. Carr then pivoted to the newly-implemented Restorative Community Pathways (RCP). At the end of public comment, the motion came up for a vote among the committee, during which it was rejected as every committee member other than Dunn voted against it. That is precisely the opposite of what they put in their unprofessional PowerPoint presentation. Over time, the RCP Youth Steering Committee will develop to be directed by youth and young adults who have completed the RCP program. This is a new "restorative justice" program that provides alternatives to jail time. From a legal perspective, this would be a felony robbery. See more of Covid19 Mutual Aid - Seattle on Facebook However in the last two years during the pandemic, violent crime has risen, but it has also risen in every other major metropolitan area in the United States, so the issue isnt unique to King County, Hung said. We should be allowed the same grace that the criminal legal system has been shown.. While most cases referred to Restorative Community Pathways involve alleged misdemeanors, the program expands the number of eligible allegations to include more felonies than the previous. Resolving a case using the diversion process can helpyouth and their family access helpful services in our community. King County Executive Dow Constantine shared updates on the early success of Restorative Community Pathways (RCP), an evidence-based program aimed at reducing youth incarceration and racial disproportionality in the juvenile legal system. Bottomline, the accumulated effect is that we are ending habitual trauma cycles that plague individuals, families and the whole community network. Actor and comedian Tim Allen is an example of that after being given a reduced sentence for drug charges when he was a young adult. And they come even as the coronavirus pandemic has forced cutbacks across nearly all branches of county government. Then also have a reality check on the very real damage that it causes to human capital.. "Restorative Community Pathways (RCP) is an evidence-based strategy for holding young people who commit a first-time offense accountable, reducing youth incarceration, and racial disproportionality in the juvenile justice system," the statement continued. FIRS serves families at the Patricia Clark Child and Family Justice Center and in the community after an arrest orreferral from law enforcement following an incident of family violence. Dunns proposal was in response to concerns about the program brought up by South King County Mayors Jim Ferrell (Federal Way), Nancy Backus (Auburn), Dana Ralph (Kent) and Armondo Pavone (Renton).