A volunteer society in Port Alberni is changing the way people think about crime by prioritizing healing over punishment.
After a crime has occurred, the Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society brings together offenders, victims and the community to rebuild relationships and find a way to repair the harm that has been done.
Restorative justice is a process that works as an alternative to, or in parallel with, criminal justice. According to the Correctional Service of Canada, restorative justice is an approach that focuses on addressing the harm caused by a crime, rather than punishment for the offender.
The society accepts referrals (which can come from the RCMP, Crown counsel, the courts or BC Corrections) and uses these to arrange meetings between the person responsible for a crime and the people affected by the crime in order to come to some sort of resolution.
Cpl. Jordan Hamlyn, a Watch Commander with the Port Alberni RCMP, is a liaison officer with the Restorative Justice Society. He first joined the society in 2023, although it's been around for the full 12 years that he has been working in Port Alberni.
"Restorative justice is becoming more prevalent in our jobs," explained Hamlyn. "It plays a valuable role by providing a constructive alternative to the court process."
The Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society uses peacemaking circles, where participants sit in a circle of chairs without any obstructions between them. The participants take turns speaking, ensuring that each person has an opportunity to be heard. This allows both the harmed person, and the one who committed the harm, to discuss what led up to the incident and how they have been affected since it happened.
After the discussion, all the participants work together to figure out how the harm can be repaired. This can include community service, financial restitution or even just an apology. Restorative justice differs from criminal justice, in that it offers an opportunity for safe dialogue between victims, offenders and other members of the community.
In the criminal justice system, harmed people often don't have a voice at all, says Duncan Booth, the executive director for the Alberni Valley Restorative Justice Society.
"We try to facilitate some meaningful dialogue in order to repair the harm that was done and build relationships," explained Booth. "Through the process, all parties will come to an agreement that has some sort of accountability. The important part is that everybody gets a say."
Booth says restorative justice is a "totally voluntary" process for all parties, which can sometimes be difficult for the victims of crimes. Most of the referrals they work with are cases of misdemeanor crimes, such as petty theft, vandalism or threats.
"It does depend on the nature of the case and the matter you're trying to resolve," Booth said. "It's difficult because a lot of people don't know what restorative justice is. The criminal justice system is so ingrained in us that it's not an easy thing for people to wrap their heads around. We often have a punitive mindset. But we find that a lot of people are really receptive to the idea. It gets people thinking that maybe this person doesn't need to go to jail after all."
When the RCMP is making referrals, said Hamlyn, officers look for offenders who want to be accountable for the harm they have caused.
"It's important for us that both the responsible person and the harmed person are willing to go through this process," said Hamlyn. "It helps the responsible person understand the harm they've caused with their actions, which deters first-time offenders from re-offending."
This has a much more personal impact on all parties than the court system, added Hamlyn.
"It's a more human approach to the incident," he said. "People are involved that are affected first-hand."
Hamlyn explained that the RCMP often try to use restorative justice when it comes to young offenders or first-time offenders, which makes up "an important part" of the RCMP's caseload. Booth refers to restorative justice as a sort of "intervention" for youth.
"A criminal record for youth can set them on the wrong path for the rest of their life," Booth explained.
Booth says restorative justice is used all over the world, and actually dates back to Indigenous tradition, where families, elders and defendants met to discuss and resolve conflicts. In some places, Booth added, it's used for "very serious crimes." One of the best examples is in Rwanda. After the 1994 genocide, the Rwandan government created the Gacaca courts, community-based court hearings that focused on repairing harm rather than punishing offenders.
"People would have to sit down, hear the impacts and figure out a way to move forward," Booth explained. "It was a way of reuniting the people."
The Restorative Justice Society has been around in Port Alberni since 2001, although up until recently it worked on a "very small budget" and a limited number of volunteers. But in the last three years, said Booth, there's been "a whole lot of new volunteer energy" and new grant funding, thanks to "a tremendous amount of work" from society president Alex Glassey.
"We've had some new people join the board who are interested in volunteering," said Booth. "We also have some wonderful facilitators with a background in education. There's been a real shift in energy."
Hamlyn agreed that the numbers for the society have been bolstered over the past few years, with more volunteers joining the cause.
"The society seems to be rejuvenated, with fresh, new ideas," said Hamlyn. "Which means they'll be able to help more people."
Booth acknowledged the City of Port Alberni and the local Salvation Army, both of which have often provided the society with office space. In the last few months, Booth says the society has been working towards building relationships with the other social agencies in town, including Usma, the Port Alberni Friendship Center, ADAPS and even the Pacific Rim School District.
"We've found a lot of receptiveness and openness," Booth said.
Port Alberni has a higher than average crime rate, especially when it comes to violent crime. Inspector Kim Bruce, the Port Alberni detachment's Officer in Charge, told city council in April of this year that Port Alberni is a "violent community" with a crime rate more than double the provincial average. Most of this is tied to drug trafficking and substance abuse issues. The result is that police officers are overworked, and Booth says the court gets backed up with some of these cases.
"There's a need for healing and reintegration," said Booth. "Our ultimate goal is to promote healing. We want to be able to take these referrals, which are caught up in a system of punishment and high recidivism rates, and provide a general sense of reconciliation for a happier, healthier community. Plus it has the added benefit of taking a burden off our other services."
Anyone interested in learning more about restorative justice, or anyone who is interested in volunteering with the society, can learn more at www.albernirestorativejustice.com or reach out to Booth at avrjsdirector@gmail.com.
