Section 5: Restorative justice advisory committee

427 words·~2 min read·/ma/part-iv/title-ii/chapter-276b/5

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Section 5.

(a)There shall be established a restorative justice advisory committee to review community-based restorative justice programs. The advisory committee shall consist of 17 members: 1 of whom shall be: the secretary of public safety and security or a designee who shall serve as chair; 1 of whom shall be the secretary of health and human services or a designee; 1 of whom shall be a member of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker; 1 of whom shall be a member of the senate appointed by the senate president; 1 of whom shall be; the president of the Massachusetts district attorneys association, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the chief counsel of the committee for public counsel services or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the commissioner of probation or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the president of the Massachusetts chiefs of police association, or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts office for victim assistance or a designee; 1 of whom shall be the executive director of the Massachusetts sheriff's association, or a designee; and 7 of whom shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a retired trial court judge and 6 of whom shall be representatives of community-based restorative justice programs or a member of the public with expertise in restorative justice. Each member of the advisory committee shall serve a 6-year term.

(b)The advisory committee may monitor and assist all community-based restorative justice programs to which a juvenile or adult defendant may be diverted pursuant to this chapter.

(c)The advisory committee shall track the use of community-based restorative justice programs through a partnership with an educational institution and may make legislative, policy and regulatory recommendations to aid in the use of community-based restorative justice programs including, but not limited to:

(i)qualitative and quantitative outcomes for participants;

(ii)recidivism rates of responsible parties;

(iii)criteria for youth involvement and training;

(iv)cost savings for the commonwealth;

(v)training guidelines for restorative justice facilitators;

(vi)data on gender, racial socioeconomic and geographic disparities in the use of community-based restorative justice programs;

(vii)guidelines for restorative justice best practices; and

(viii)appropriate training for community-based restorative programs.

(d)The advisory committee shall annually, not later than December 31, submit a report with findings and recommendations to the governor, the clerks of the house of representatives and senate and the house and senate chairs of the joint committees on the judiciary and public safety and homeland security.