FAQ

Anyone who is still suffering the consequences of a past criminal act can take part in our encounters. Whether they are primary or secondary victims; whether they have already served their sentence or are serving it in the community; whether they are on parole or incarcerated.

There are two formats for restorative justice encounters at the CSJR:

• The Face-to-Face, a meeting of 3 people (a person who has been the victim of a crime, a person who has committed a similar crime and a member of the community).
• Victim-offender encounters (VOE) – around 10 people (several people who have been victims of a crime, several people who have committed a crime and two community members).

These meetings are supervised by facilitators. The role of the facilitators is to lead the discussions and ensure that they run smoothly, in a climate of respect and safety.

As for the members of the community, they are witnesses to the process that is taking place, but they also contribute as citizens to the exchanges. They symbolize the society which, on the one hand, allowed the crime to occur, and which, on the other, is also suffering its consequences. The members of the community are all volunteers.

The meetings are NOT therapy groups: no form of psychological advice, treatment or diagnosis is offered.

Rather, the encounters are experiences of sharing and testimonies between people who have been victims and people who have committed a crime. Facilitators are present to ensure that there is structure and that everyone present can express themselves freely, and that respect and listening guide the exchanges.

The encounters consist of a series of sessions on 3 different themes (the events, the consequences of the crime and the reparative actions taken), plus a debriefing session 3 months later.

An at-home activity can be proposed between each meeting. This helps prepare for the following week’s encounter.

In addition to agreeing to respect the anonymity and confidentiality of the content of the encounters, participants must register voluntarily and freely, have clearly identified and realistic motivations, and a sincere desire to engage in the series of meetings.

It is important that participants are able to understand and verbalize the consequences of the crime in their lives. In the case of people who have committed a criminal act, it is necessary that they recognize their guilt, are capable of empathy and demonstrate a desire to change their criminal behavior.

It is also important that participants have external support (friends, relatives, family, AA-type support group or fellowship, etc.) and, if possible, therapeutic support that is pre-established, regular and accessible throughout the sessions. If this is not the case, the CSJR can suggest a way of obtaining it.

It is important to note that for encounters taking place in penitentiaries, only people without a criminal record will be authorized to enter the establishment.

Throughout the process, the facilitators remain available to participants between encounters, to provide support where needed. They reserve the right to contact participants if they notice that one or more are experiencing difficulties, and refer them to the appropriate person.

It is sometimes believed that restorative justice risks revictimizing the victim. Experience shows that this is not the case. Indeed, testifying can sometimes bring back emotions such as anger. But this experience, which can be painful, is in fact a liberation.

It is important to note that the CSJR has set up a rigorous selection procedure. Individual interviews are conducted to assess whether the person wishing to take part in the encounters meets the conditions for participation: whether he or she has the necessary tools to deal with this kind of situation, and whether there are any psychological conditions that could adversely affect him or her during and after the meetings.

At the end of each meeting, participants gather in sub-groups to reflect on the session and to process, before leaving the premises, of anything they were unable or unwilling to say during the meeting. Both facilitators are fully trained and mentored, and at least one of them has recognized experience in counselling or psychotherapy.

People who have been victims most often want to express themselves and be listened to, recognized, to understand, to free themselves from destructive emotions, to help prevent recidivism, or to move on.

On the other hand, people who have committed a criminal act wish to understand, help and make amends, to become aware of the impact of their actions, and thus to make personal progress.

From 2005 to 2008, the Correctional Service of Canada conducted studies on the encounters offered by the CSJR (the results of which are available on request). Here is a summary of some of the data from this study:

• Impact on victims (2007 figures): 93% of victims noted a decrease in their negative emotions (fear, anger, sadness), 86% felt a decrease in their hatred towards their aggressor, 72% indicated that the meetings helped them to overcome their victimization.
• Impact on people who have committed a criminal act (2008 figures): 88% said that the meetings helped them understand the harm they had caused, 83% felt that the meetings helped them avoid re-offending, 78% said that they understood the victim better.
• Finally, 94% of victims and 100% of offenders would recommend restorative justice sessions to others in similar situations.

To find out more, you can consult our testimonials page from people who have been victims of crime, people who have committed crime, as well as community members.

No. It is of the utmost importance to the CSJR that people who have committed a criminal act do not benefit from any advantages simply by attending our encounters. This is not a program to accelerate their release.

This service is currently offered free of charge. Costs related to this program are covered by the CSJR. All donations to the CSJR are welcome. Donations are tax-deductible, as the CSJR is recognized as a charitable organization.

They take place in the greater Montreal area, either in the community or in prison. Encounters are also possible in Cowansville, Drummondville, Joliette, Sherbrooke, Granby and Ste Anne-des-plaines in Quebec. Internationally, pilot projects have been carried out in France on the basis of what is proposed by the CSJR.

When they take place in the community, the meetings are held on the CSJR premises, or in any other location where confidentiality can be guaranteed. The participants who have committed a criminal act are either serving their sentence in the community (halfway house) or have completed their sentence. When the meetings take place in a prison environment, the offenders are residents of the institution where the meetings are held.

The CSJR is not a faith-based organization, but recognizes the holistic dimension of the person. If participants wish to mention the importance of their spirituality or faith in their healing process, they are welcomed with respect. For their part, the facilitators adopt a neutral attitude. Forgiveness, in the religious or secular sense, is not in itself an objective of the process, but some participants may see it as a final step in their process of liberation.