The Impact of Prosecutor-led Restorative Justice Diversion: A Study of San Francisco’s Neighborhood Courts

• In Event: New Developments in Prosecutor's Offices and Courtrooms

Abstract

Prosecutor-led restorative justice diversion programs have the potential to impact both the outcomes of defendants and the community as these programs focus on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office Neighborhood Courts program is one such program that has received a great deal of attention due to winning the Innovations in Criminal Justice Award. The Neighborhood Courts program allows prosecutors to direct cases to community-run restorative justice hearings where community members assign directives to the defendant, all to involve the community and efficiently and effectively resolve cases. We will present findings from a randomized control trial, where half of eligible defendants are randomly assigned to Neighborhood Courts and half to ‘treatment as usual’, that explores the impact of this program on case outcomes and future re-arrest. We additionally will present findings of interviews with participants and stakeholders that explore the impact of the program on defendant’s perceptions of procedural justice, legal pressure, and readiness to change, as well as the tangible and intangible costs of the program to the local community.

Authors

• Danielle Sobol, RAND Corporation

• Melissa Labriola, RAND Corporation