Celebrating Second Chances - Statistics

In less than five years, the Restorative Justice Project of the Midcoast (RJP) has provided second chances to victims and offenders.

RJP has given more than 100 victims a second chance by offering them the opportunity to share the impact of the offense with the offender and to receive restitution.

RJP has given more than 80 juvenile offenders a second chance by avoiding court and a juvenile record. Community Resolution Teams bring all the stakeholders together to understand what happened, hold the offender accountable, and provide restitution to the victim and rehabilitation to the offender under the guidance of a mentor.

RJP’s mentoring program has given more than 40 adult offenders a second chance as they re-enter the community, offering a role model and a caring relationship, as well as assistance with such practical matters as education, counseling, housing, and employment. The recidivism rate among those whom RJP has mentored is less than half the statewide average.

In cooperation with the courts, RJP has given more than 20 adult offenders a second chance by offering mentoring in lieu of a jail sentence. None has re-offended.

RJP has given hundreds of school children who have had disciplinary problems a second chance by bringing victims, offenders and other parties together to seek healing and restitution rather than detention, suspension or expulsion. In two schools, the number of detentions, alone, decreased more than 40% within the first six months of the program.

By offering people a second chance, RJP is helping to heal victims, rehabilitate offenders, reduce crime, and decrease the skyrocketing costs of adjudication and incarceration.