New restorative justice program launched

Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced a new program April 6 to provide restorative justice to certain individuals charged with crimes.

The Deferral and Dismissal Pilot Program, called Taking Root, is a partnership between Descano’s office and the Opportunities Alternatives and Resources (OAR) organization.

“The focus of Taking Root will be to address a subset of cases where the individual has underlying issues that are the root cause of the behavior that led to criminal involvement,” Descano said.

Rather than be subject to jail time, eligible individuals could receive such support services as case management, mental health assessment referrals. substance abuse assessment referrals, compliance monitoring, vocational and educational referrals, job skills training referrals, affordable housing, literacy program referrals, theft intervention education, and cognitive behavioral therapy to address decision-making skills.

OAR is a nonprofit that works to provide alternatives and resources for justice-involved individuals and their families and helps former inmates rebuild their lives.

The Vera Institute of Justice awarded a grant to OAR to implement Taking Root. OAR will add staff to focus on cases where a defendant has support and rehabilitation needs and is a good fit for the services offered.

The Commonwealth’s Attorney Office will work with OAR to recommend individuals for the program before their first court date through consultation with defense counsel and law enforcement and a review of any prior criminal charges.

If after an initial assessment the individual agrees to the plan, the plan will be presented to the court for consideration on the next scheduled hearing date.

If the court accepts the plan and orders a deferred disposition, OAR will implement the plan and monitor the individual for compliance during a pre-determined amount of time. Once the individual has completed the plan successfully, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office will provide documentation for the next hearing date.

“Through this program, our hope is that we can bring closer the day when the color of skin, a person’s zip code, and the amount of money in their bank account does not dictate their involvement in the legal system,” Descano said.