Community Justice creates partnerships among victims, communities, justice professionals, and offenders to collectively resolve issues resulting from crime. Community Justice encourages meaningful dialogue between the victim, community, and offender in a safe environment guided by justice professionals. Community Justice provides support for victims and offenders, empowering them to establish a sense of order in their lives and enabling offenders to become productive members of the community. The councils are comprised of DRC staff as well as professionals from other areas of the justice system such as victim advocacy, probation, community corrections, the religious community and others. As councils identify and develop projects for implementing community justice, the cabinet reviews and approves their recommendations and provides support and expertise in ensuring the projects are smoothly implemented.
Liaisons are an integral part of the community justice infrastructure.
Each liaison serves as the resident resource person on community justice and the local link to the cabinet and councils. All DRC liaisons have full-time jobs within the Department as case managers, parole officers, chaplains, deputy wardens, psychologists, and others and each has taken on the role of liaison as an extra responsibility. Many have done so because they truly believe in the concept of community justice and are committed to making justice more meaningful. Community Justice liaisons are involved in a multitude of activities. Some teach community justice classes for new DRC employees at the Corrections Training Academy.