STOW 一 The Stow Police Department is pleased to share that Chief Michael Sallese has been appointed to the board of directors for Communities for Restorative Justice (C4JR) to further the organization’s mission by helping crime victims and offenders through a healing process outside of the court system.
C4RJ works with communities and their police departments to rebuild trust in the community after a crime. The organization is driven by a group of trained volunteers and a board of members and staff that are committed to a process of restorative justice.
“As a longtime supporter of the process, I have seen how C4RJ helps make change in our community and gives a voice to those affected by crime,” said Chief Sallese. “C4RJ’s members do excellent work, and I am honored to play an active role in helping it accomplish its mission.”
After receiving referral cases from partner police departments, like the Stow Police Department, C4RJ facilitates a dialogue between the victim of a crime and the offender the parties of a crime to help them find a way forward.
Led by community volunteers in partnership with the board, staff, and referring law enforcement partners, the victim, the offender, loved ones, supporters, and community members discuss the crime. The process gives the victim a chance to ask questions in a safe environment, the offender a better understanding of the harm their actions caused, and the community a way to offer support.
At the end of the meeting, a restorative agreement is created by the group and may include an apology, meetings with facilitators, and other steps to repair the harm to the victim and the community. Cases take 60 to 90 days on average.
“C4RJ is honored to have Chief Sallese join our Board of Directors,” said Executive Director Erin Freeborn. “Chief Sallese has been an active partner for many years and has first-hand experience with our circle process. He brings the personal experience of an officer who needs to understand what makes a ‘good’ case for restorative justice, a detective who must conduct an investigation with a lens toward restorative justice, and now a chief who is able to lead other chiefs in this process. We have seen Chief Sallese lead his peers as he rose up through the ranks, and we are excited for him to lead through example as he demonstrates to other new chiefs in the region his commitment to restorative justice.”
To learn more about C4RJ and restorative justice, click here.