Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

Chapter 22Chapter 22Chapter 22Chapter 22

CommunityJustice

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

Community JusticeCommunity JusticeCommunity JusticeCommunity Justice

Definition of Community JusticeA Philosophy of Justice A Strategy of Justice Programs

How Community Justice Differs from Criminal JusticeNeighborhoods Problem Solving RestorationJustice ReinvestmentOverview of Differences

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

Community Justice Cont.Community Justice Cont.Community Justice Cont.Community Justice Cont.Arguments for Community Justice

Crime and Crime Problems Are Local Crime Fighting Improves the Quality

of Life Proactive Rather Than Reactive

Strategies Are NeededProblems of Community Justice

Impingement on Individual Rights Social Inequality Increasing Criminal Justice Costs

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

““community justice”community justice”““community justice”community justice”

a model of justice that emphasizes reparation to the victim and the community, approaching crime from a problem-solving perspective, and citizen involvement in crime prevention

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

““collective efficacycollective efficacy””““collective efficacycollective efficacy””

mutual trust among neighbors, combined with willingness to intervene on behalf of the common good, especially to supervise children and maintain public order

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

community justicecommunity justicecomponentscomponentscommunity justicecommunity justicecomponentscomponents

a philosoph

ya

strategy• more ambitious than traditional view of criminal justice;• concerned with quality of life in community

• community policing

community justice

• environmental crime• restorative justice

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

““restorativerestorative justice” justice”““restorativerestorative justice” justice”

system of justice that seeks to restore the victim, offender and the community to a level of functioning that existed prior to the criminal event; seeks to repair the damage done (to all parties) by the offender’s criminal act

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

restorative justice approachrestorative justice approachtypical programstypical programsrestorative justice approachrestorative justice approachtypical programstypical programs

crime mapping citizen advisory groups re: crime priorities citizen partnerships with justice agencies justice actors are organized locally to

enable more effective strategy formation citizens and victims involved in sentencing broad use of offender community service

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

““What Do They Want?What Do They Want?””““What Do They Want?What Do They Want?””

The Myth: People in poor communities want “bad guys” to be taken off their streets and sent to prison

The Reality: People in poor communities tell researchers that they want to be “safe,” but they also want their family members, even the ones involved in crime, to not have to go to prison

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

distinguishing community distinguishing community justice from criminal justicejustice from criminal justicedistinguishing community distinguishing community justice from criminal justicejustice from criminal justice

focus is on restoration

(not retribution)

focus is on neighborhoo

d(not legal

jur.) focus is on problem-solving(not

adversarial)

distinguishing features

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

arguments FOR arguments FOR community justicecommunity justicearguments FOR arguments FOR community justicecommunity justice

Crime and crime problems are local crime affects quality of life of the

neighborhood; it is the neighborhood that is best positioned to and has the greatest stake in addressing crime

Crime fighting improves the quality of life effort is to break the grip that crime has on the

community Proactive is better than reactive strategies

preventing crime is better than reacting to the damage it does to the victim and community

Clear & Cole, American Corrections, 8th

arguments AGAINST arguments AGAINST community justicecommunity justicearguments AGAINST arguments AGAINST community justicecommunity justice

it jeopardizes individual rights tendency toward vigilantism? equality before the law vs. different community

approaches to crime control state’s role in criminal justice decreases

it exacerbates social inequality community resources & political influence vary communities with biggest need (worst crime

problem) have fewest resources it requires funds that are not available

traditional criminal justice increasingly costly who pays for new focus? localities can’t afford must shift costs within existing budgets