Each year, the Office of Justice Programs designates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in April. This year’s theme is “Serving Victims. Building Trust. Restoring Hope” is being celebrated April 10-16. Crime Victims’ Rights Awareness Week stresses the importance of addressing the needs and concerns of victims of crime. However, victims and their advocates, often disagree with juvenile justice advocates on the best consequences of committing harm and it can be difficult to balance personal accountability with opportunity for rehabilitation. This is further complicated by the fact that many offenders have been victimized themselves, blurring distinctions between victims and offenders. How can we bridge the gap between the needs of victims and offenders to build a more just juvenile justice system?

A publication by The National Juvenile Justice Network provides more information on how the current juvenile justice often fails both victims and offenders, and how we can do better in the future.

The report identifies 5 strategies to making the juvenile justice system more just for all involved:

• Join victims’ advocates in calling for an increase to federal and local funding for victims’ services, particularly for services in high-need communities.
• Listen closely to a broad range of those harmed by crime to learn about their needs before making policy.
• Call for an end to treating those who get in trouble with the law as completely distinct from people harmed by crime—underscore the importance of helping everyone harmed by crime.
• Advocate for an age-appropriate, equitable juvenile justice system that holds youth accountable but also restores harm done to victims and communities in a meaningful way.
• Ensure that services for those in trouble with the law and those harmed by crimes are culturally appropriate and located within communities that experience highest crime rates.

One strategy for ensuring that victims are heard and that youth are held accountable is restorative justice, which is an approach to crime that focuses on repairing damage done to individuals, families, and communities. This is a victim-centered approach in which victims can choose their level of involvement, ensuring their experiences are valued and their needs are met. For youth, restorative justice programs provide an opportunity for them to understand the real and human cost of crime and to make amends in a meaningful way. Strategies like this, which hold offenders accountable in an appropriate way and serve and support victims, can help restore hope, trust, and safety for all involved.

By Karissa Propson