By Sheldon Spackman

giving victims a voice

Alberta Restorative Justice Conference moving online this year

Oct 22, 2020 | 1:45 PM

An event aimed at promoting restorative justice efforts in Alberta is set to take place online next month.

The annual Alberta Restorative Justice Conference will be held virtually on Nov. 19 and 20.

Jen VanSteenbergen, Executive Coordinator of the Alberta Restorative Justice Association (ARJA), describes restorative justice as an approach focused on repairing harm when a wrongdoing or injustice occurs in a community.

“Depending on the process that is used, restorative justice can involve a victim, offender, their social networks, their agencies and community,” she explains. “The goal is to repair, recognize and see responsibility claimed for the harm that has been involved.”

VanSteenbergen says the process allows victims to have their voices heard following a crime or wrongdoing.

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“They can communicate how it’s affected them,” she points out. “This is done through a very secure and safe space and a process that is often not like a ‘one and done’, but can sometimes take up to years depending on the severity of what has happened.”

According to VanSteenbergen, restorative justice also allows for offenders to reflect on what the consequences of their actions are.

“There are circumstances for which an offense isn’t necessarily what it seems on the surface,” she suggests. “So it kind of brings back the humanity to offenders and yes, something bad has happened, but that one incident doesn’t necessarily define who this entire person is. So it allows them space to explore that within themselves.”

ARJA provides support, training, and resources to many groups and organizations across the province that offer one-on-one processes in that respect.

“This approach has been used for those who are already in prison and are serving a term but want to make things right,” she remarks. “Sometimes it’s initiated by the victim or the victim’s family depending on the severity of the incident, and sometimes it’s initiated by the offender. But it’s always a place where both parties have to agree, it’s never forced.”

This year’s conference will feature three keynote speakers and 17 workshops.

“We’re actually seeing a wide array of registrants, which is very exciting for us. We also have roundtable networking sessions that will allow people to sit in on conversations that are more specific to them and really get to hear from the experience and knowledge and wisdom of others.”

VanSteenbergen hopes the conference highlights the value and importance of restorative justice processes, and that they’re available to any community in Alberta.

“I think a big part of that is the education piece and the exposure piece,” says VanSteenbergen. “We welcome anyone and everyone no matter what their restorative justice experience is. It’s a fantastic place to learn about it, to learn about the different processes and the different ways that it can be used.”

“Restorative justice is not something that is meant to be in-place of the justice system, we don’t want to replace, but to walk alongside and work with,” she concludes.

For those unable to take part in the conference at its scheduled time, VanSteenbergen notes the event will be recorded for those to view later.