County seeks restorative justice for juveniles

... the current system is based on diverting juveniles out of the justice system. However, there is not a restorative aspect to the diversion.

Restorative justice brings together victims, offenders and members of the community who have been impacted by a crime and has them work cooperatively to repair the harm caused by the criminal behavior. Martha Doyle, a Valley resident certified in restorative justice practices and holding a master's in juvenile justice, said when offenders go through this process, they often come out more vested in their community and less likely to re-offend.