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Reflective Jail Tours: The Power of Proximity
The Albemarle–Charlottesville Regional Jail (ACRJ), opened in 1974, houses roughly 324 people. Over the past three years, community members have gained unprecedented access to the jail through an initiative, the Reflective Jail Tours, that are co-led by Tom Tom at the Festival. What began as an organic partnership with local justice organizations and leadership at...
What Do Alternatives to Incarceration Actually Look Like?
When Jane* saw John*—the motorcycle driver who had killed her son—at his trial, she had unresolved questions. But in the courtroom, she felt there were no answers. Instead of pursuing traditional prosecution, Jane, her ex-husband, her surviving son, and John opted to participate in a restorative justice program through the Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney’s partnership with Central Virginia Community...
Victims and perpetrators of crime find an alternative to trials in Virginia
Doug Ford wanted Jesse Morris to remind drivers that they have to share the road and focus solely on driving. “What I wanted was some sort of community impact that would just make the road safer for all of us.” Listen and read more here.
Healing harm
Center for Justice & Peacebuilding alumna leads Charlottesville restorative justice program. “Instead of isolating people in jail or through a sterile criminal legal process, we’re connecting people to empathetic facilitators who treat everyone with dignity and who center the needs of the harmed person and the safety of the community,” Campbell said. Read the full...
Traffic Violence and Restorative Justice
This event addressed the intersection of two of the most powerful (and problematic) systems in our community: transportation and criminal justice. When someone is harmed by traffic violence, how should the legal system respond? One approach is primarily punitive/carceral, while another approach downplays the severity of the harm caused. A restorative justice model attempts to...
Panelists discuss conflict resolution with Charlottesville Community
An event at the Tom Tom Festival is helping people with conflict resolution. Let’s Talk focused on group discussion about what to do when you are dealing with a variety of people. Attendees listened and learned from Charlottesville advocates and vice-versa. Click here to see the video.
Albemarle hit-and-run case demonstrates restorative justice
“Two years after its inception, a criminal diversion program in the Albemarle County and Charlottesville court systems is building healing after people have been wronged or hurt.” To listen and read more: https://www.wmra.org/2024-02-07/albemarle-hit-and-run-case-demonstrates-restorative-justice?fbclid=IwAR35fIwiKe1kMoeDPaomz_IoLGoP1EtkFOcxelf69olsuuu79c9qdOFhgV4
Earlysville hit-and-run driver to participate in ‘restorative justice’ program, avoids jail time
A recently formed organization called Central Virginia Community Justice can step in when a victim, such as Ford, permits it. The prosecutor must also agree to any plea agreement, and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon P. Neal made the motion Thursday to reduce the criminal charges. The deal that Judge Quatrara accepted allowed Morris — originally...
The Albemarle & Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Offices and Central Virginia Community Justice Commit to Improve Public Safety and Racial Equity in Partnership with Vera Institute
August 22, 2023 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Today, the Albemarle & Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Offices and Central Virginia Community Justice announced a new partnership with the Vera Institute of Justice, as part of their Reshaping Prosecution Program’s Motion for Justice program. Vera will provide Central Virginia Community Justice with financial support to expand its diversion programming and provide the...
In the Movement podcast with Central Virginia Community Justice
Central Virginia Community Justice is a restorative justice diversion program based out of Charlottesville, VA. They provide a “brave space for those involved in harm to lead their own accountability and healing.” CVCJ acts as a restorative alternative to the standard, punitive path of the criminal legal system. Hear from Tarek Maassarani, one of the...
New Central Virginia nonprofit providing an alternative to the court room
CVCJ has a different way of handling cases. Instead of going to the courtroom, a solution is facilitated through conversation. “Restorative justice is a way to address harm that isn’t punitive. It puts the needs of the person that was harmed first, and they get to kind of make the choice and how the person...
Life in the Heartland: Justice Reform
Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville have initiated a restorative justice diversion program as an alternative to prosecution. Programs like this focus on the harmful impact of a crime and define what can be done to repair that harm, while holding the offender accountable. Key to the process is a face-to-face meeting between the offender and...
A More Humane Approach: Local program offers an alternative to the courtroom
Julie, a 21-year-old UVA student, was at a bar with her friends when she was physically assaulted. A stranger grabbed the baseball hat off her head, and when she attempted to get it back, he struck her in the face, before fleeing the scene and being apprehended by university police. After the incident, Julie, who...
