Restorative Justice Grant Program

2021-2023 Restorative Justice Grant

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The Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) is pleased to invite public and private entities to submit applications for the Restorative Justice Grant.

In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill (HB) 2204, which created the Restorative Justice (RJ) grant program. The underlying legislation was conceptualized by the Racial Justice Council within the Office of the Governor and contemplated to be an alternative approach to Oregon’s traditional criminal and juvenile legal system processes.

Of note, the legislation establishing this program expressly requires applicants to demonstrate the following:

Coordination with community-based organizations;
An ability to work collaboratively with system partners, including local law enforcement entities, courts, district attorneys, and defense attorneys; and
How the applicant will center the experiences of those harmed, encourage those who have caused harm to take responsibility and repair the harm, and support persons who have been harmed, impacted community members, and responsible parties in identifying solutions that promote healing, including promoting dialogue and mutual agreement.

Grant Program Goals

The goal of the Restorative Justice grant program is to award grants to public and private entities for restorative justice programs offering an alternative to the criminal and juvenile legal systems. In addition, this grant seeks to fund programs that:

Center the experiences of those harmed;
Encourage those who have caused harm to take responsibility and repair the harm;
Support persons who have been harmed, impacted community members and responsible parties in identifying solutions that promote healing, including promoting dialogue and mutual agreement;
Coordinate with community-based organizations; and have
An ability to work collaboratively with system partners, including but not limited to local law enforcement entities, courts, district attorneys and defense attorneys.

Furthermore, the CJC and the advisory committee may give preference to programs that include one or more of the following:

Offer services that engage in and serve rural or other historically underserved regions or areas in Oregon;
Offer services that engage and provide culturally appropriate services to socially disadvantaged individual(s);
Partners with a researcher or research entity to track and report on any outcome measures associated with the applicant's program; · Address case types as defined in OAR 213-003-001(14) and OAR 213-003-001(15);
Address case types that carry a presumptive sentence of prison pursuant to the criteria in OAR 213-004-0001 through OAR 213-004-0013;
Prioritize funding for direct services to the party harmed and the person who committed the harm; or
Do not disqualify program participants based on prior criminal history.