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The Community Justice Center is working with the Burlington
Police Department and the State of Vermont Center for Crime Victim
Services to implement: Parallel Justice a framework for
responding to crime with two separate parallel paths to justice—one
for victims and one for offenders.
“The concept of Parallel Justice changes the paradigm. Instead
of asking victims to seek justice solely through the criminal
justice process, we instead ask victims to define the problems they
face—and then, we do our best to address them. In this new world,
there would be a victim-oriented justice process that would kick in
with the occurrence of a crime and attend to the needs of victims of
all crime, violent and non-violent. Offenders, communities, and
society at large would be asked to help victims rebuild their
lives—to help reintegrate victims back into productive community
life.”
Susan Herman
Burlington, VT 10/25/2002
Burlington’s pilot project will focus on serving victims of
property crime and non-domestic assault. The preliminary plan
includes the following components:
Governmental Service (Entitlements) - Project staff will
work with governmental agencies to prioritize the needs of victims
and to breakdown barriers to safety and services.
Support and Community (Resources and Services) - Victim
support staff will be placed at the Burlington Police Department and
the Community Justice Center to provide victims with immediate
support and ongoing case management. The Project will create a
directory of community volunteers and local businesses that are
willing to offer their services and support to victims of crime.
Victim Forum (Validation and Testimony) - A small board of
key State and City officials will be created to provide a forum for
victims to share their experience and the impact of crime on their
lives. Victims will not be required to participate in a forum to
receive services. Other restorative process will be offered to
Victims as an alternative to the Forum such as Healing Circles and
Group Conferences.
Public Relations and Media Campaign (Paradigm Shift) - A
multi-tiered, citywide media campaign will educate the broader
community about victimization as well as the community and
government's responsibility to respond.
Karen Vastine,
Community Justice Center Coordinator
802·865·7185 /
kvastine@ci.burlington.vt.us
Page last updated
April 07, 2008
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