ST. JOHN’S, NL – Justice and Public Safety Minister Andrew Parsons recognized Restorative Justice Week in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.
The observance runs from Nov. 19-26.
Parsons said he will be a part of a panel discussion tonight that will explore the use of restorative justice approaches to address challenges in the province’s education and legal systems.
“Mr. Speaker, restorative justice focuses on addressing the harm caused by crime while holding the offender responsible for his or her actions,” he said.
“It provides an opportunity for the parties directly affected by crime – victims, offender and community – to identify and address their needs.”
The provincial government believes in restorative justice, Parsons said, and recognizes the need to find innovative ways to address the number of people in prison, look at why they are there and determine how to lower the risk of reoffending.
“The Department of Justice and Public Safety has been exploring initiatives such as the drug treatment court, bail supervision and adult diversion to keep people out of court, address access to justice matters and improve peoples’ interactions with the justice system,” he said.
