Frequently Asked Questions
Regional Red Deer Restorative Justice (RRDRJ)
1. What is restorative justice?
Restorative justice is a structured process that brings together the person harmed, the person who caused harm, and relevant community members to repair harm and rebuild trust.
Instead of focusing on punishment, we focus on:
- Understanding impact
- Taking responsibility
- Making meaningful repair
- Restoring relationships where possible
Our approach is grounded in accountability, safety, and voluntary participation.
2. Is participation voluntary?
Yes. Participation is completely voluntary for everyone involved.
Anyone may choose not to participate or withdraw at any time. Consent must be informed and documented before any restorative process proceeds.
If participation is withdrawn, the file may be returned to the referring agency (RCMP, Crown, or school).
3. How is restorative justice different from court?
Court focuses on determining guilt and assigning punishment.
Restorative justice focuses on:
- Who was harmed?
- What was the impact
- What needs to happen to repair it?
For pre-charge or diversion referrals, successful completion may prevent formal charges. For Crown referrals, successful completion may result in charge withdrawal.
4. What kinds of cases do you accept?
We accept both:
- Criminal referrals (pre-charge, diversion, Crown-based)
- Non-criminal referrals (school-based or community-based harm)
We do not handle counselling or treatment programs, and participation must align with restorative justice principles.
Referral Forms can be found on our website here.
5. What happens during a restorative conference?
The process typically includes:
- Individual preparation interviews with all participants
- Consent and confidentiality agreements
- A facilitated circle or conference
- A written agreement outlining how harm will be repaired
- Follow-up and monitoring
Restorative conferences typically take 2–3 hours.
No one may attend who has not been interviewed and prepared beforehand.
6. Is it safe?
Safety is foundational.
We:
- Conduct individual preparation interviews
- Assess trauma impact before proceeding
- Establish working agreements at the start of every conference
- Arrange seating intentionally to support safety
- Remove participants if safety agreements are violated
If a conference would create harm, it does not proceed.
7. Is what I say confidential?
Yes.
All participants sign a confidentiality agreement before the process begins
Under Section 110(1) of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, admissions made in extrajudicial restorative processes cannot be used in court against the young person.
There are exceptions for:
- Child abuse disclosures
- Threats of harm
- Criminal acts revealed outside the scope of the referral
8. What is a restorative agreement?
A restorative agreement is a written, consensus-based plan that outlines how harm will be repaired.
Agreements might include:
- Apologies
- Restitution
- Community service
- Education or reflection
- Behaviour commitments
Agreements must:
- Be meaningful to the harmed person
- Be achievable for the responsible person
- Include timelines
- Be monitored for completion
A maximum of four reparative actions is recommended to ensure follow-through.
9. What happens if the agreement isn’t completed?
For pre-charge referrals:
- The referring agency is notified
- The file may return to police for formal processing
For Crown referrals:
- The agreement must be completed within 3 months
- Non-compliance results in return to Crown for prosecution
We attempt re-engagement and support before returning files whenever possible.
10. Who facilitates the process?
All cases are facilitated by trained restorative justice facilitators.
Facilitators:
- Receive core training and annual continuing education
- Work in co-facilitation pairs
- Meet ethical standards of impartiality and confidentiality
- Participate in debriefing and supervision
We assign two facilitators to each case to ensure safety, accountability, and support.
11. Do victims have to face the person who harmed them?
No.
Participation is voluntary.
If a harmed person does not want to participate in a face-to-face conference, alternative restorative processes may be considered, including:
- Written impact statements
- Indirect communication
- Non-contact restorative practices
The needs and emotional safety of the harmed person guide the process.
12. What is your Restorative School Culture Program?
We work directly with schools to:
- Shift from punitive discipline toward restorative practices
- Support classroom circles
- Provide staff professional development
- Respond to school-based harm
This work is structured around proactive, targeted, and intensive response. We also follow a phased implementation model that includes outreach, baseline assessment, implementation, and evaluation.
13. How effective is your program?
From our 2024/25 reporting year:
- 28 referrals
- 88% completion rate
We track both qualitative and quantitative outcomes to measure growth, accountability, and recidivism.
14. How do I make a referral?
Referrals may come from:
- RCMP detachments
- Crown Prosecutors
- Schools
- Community agencies
- Individuals
- Self-referral
15. Can adults participate?
Yes. We serve youth and adults in appropriate cases. Age restrictions have been removed to increase access.
The Regional Red Deer Restorative Justice (RRDRJ) program has many roles. Whether you are referring, volunteering, becoming a facilitator or the referred person, you are welcome here.
What is Your Role?
