It is not sufficient to know just technique. Practitioners must also understand underlying values and principles. A Framework for Juvenile Justice in the 21st Century, and Balanced and Restorative Justice Project Training Guide. This document provides concrete examples to assist juvenile justice professionals at all levels in examining how their roles can change to facilitate greater victim involvement, community partnerships, and positive development for offenders. For example, probation officers can work more directly with victims of crime by coordinating a victim-offender mediation program.
Judges can share decisionmaking with the community by supporting community panels to hear cases.
Police officers can collaborate with schools and community members to help set up positive community service projects that allow offenders the opportunity to build valuable competencies. Victim advocates can work with juvenile justice professionals to set up victim impact panels. The information in this document is intended to stimulate the reader's thinking and to assist in the journey of continual discovery of new possibilities for a balanced and restorative response to crime. Readers are encouraged to use the Guide's framework to design new programs and processes that fit their individual environments. Overview of the Balanced and Restorative Justice Project In its 4-year history, the BARJ Project has provided assistance to numerous juvenile justice systems and professionals across the country.