Plead or go to trial? You may have more options. Lawyers representing youth charged with crimes may learn more about restorative justice, restorative practices and mediation by attending an upcoming virtual workshop, part of West Virginia Public Defender’s 2022 boot camp.

“I just want to know why they did this….and for them to say that they are sorry.” In the late 1990s victims of crimes often expressed these basic needs to me during my work as an assistant prosecutor. But while I could prosecute offenders and obtain convictions, I could not give victims these two things.

Around the same time, I first learned about “restorative justice” – a different way to address criminal wrongdoing. For example, restorative justice facilitates meetings between criminal and victim. While this then-new approach appeared to provide greater potential for victims to have their needs met, I was skeptical at first. I was concerned that introducing such techniques might result in making things easier for the offender, or would not adequately protect the victim.

I’m putting the finishing touches on my breakout session for the RPI conference next week in St. Paul about restorative lawyering. What’s that? Both Dan Van Ness and Howard Zehr describe restorative justice as being a continuum, with some practices fully restorative and others not at all restorative. Most RJ program practices can be placed someplace on that continuum.  I have found that in my everyday practice of law and mediation, my practices may also be placed on that continuum and I work to find the ways to make them more restorative.