Announcement, Press Release |
CHICAGO – The Circuit Court of Cook County's Restorative Justice Community Court (RJCC) in Englewood held a graduation ceremony, honoring several young adults who successfully completed the court's restorative justice process. The ceremony marked the culmination of months of hard work, community engagement, and personal accountability by participants who chose a path focused on healing over incarceration.
The RJCC Englewood, located at 845 West 69th Street and presided over by the Honorable Donna L. Cooper, serves young adults between the ages of 18 and 26 who have been charged with nonviolent felonies or misdemeanors and live in the Englewood community. Rather than moving cases through the traditional adversarial process, the RJCC brings together the person charged, the person harmed, and community members in a peace circle — a confidential, guided conversation focused on understanding the harm caused and determining how best to repair it.
“You need to remember…you are leaders,” Hon. Donna L. Cooper praised the graduates this past week, going on to congratulate them on their achievements, “You’ve made a commitment, you’ve done self-examination…you’ve made a plan, and you’ve accomplished it. I’m so proud of you all.”
Each graduate completed all requirements of a Repair of Harm Agreement, a legal document co-created by everyone in the peace circle that may include community service, job training, counseling, or restitution. Upon fulfilling those requirements — a process that typically takes six months to one year — the charges against each participant were dismissed.
“RJCC recidivism rates are lower. In fact, our rates are in the low teens compared to the 60% of those who go through the normal criminal justice system,” Hon. Ieshia E. Gray, who presides over the Sauk Village RJCC notes, going on to state that, “This is a celebration, but it is also a promise. It shows that restorative justice works, and that is why I am so excited.”
The RJCC model places community at the center of justice. Trained community members participate in peace circles and help craft Repair of Harm Agreements, giving Englewood residents a direct role in determining how crime and conflict are addressed in their neighborhood. The program aims to reduce incarceration, restore relationships, and help young adults become positive contributors to their communities.
The Circuit Court of Cook County operates RJCC locations in four communities: North Lawndale, Avondale, Englewood, and Sauk Village. Each court is embedded in the community it serves, with the goal of addressing the root causes of crime while holding participants accountable in a meaningful and constructive way.
For more information about the Restorative Justice Community Courts, visit www.cookcountycourtil.gov.
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