HB 13-1254 Summary

• Establishes restorative justice practices as voluntary, victim-centered meetings including victim-offender conferences, family group conferences, and community circles to repair harm caused by offenses.

• Allows courts to order defendants on probation and juveniles in the justice system to participate in restorative justice practices if the victim requests it and the offender is deemed suitable; excludes cases involving sexual abuse, domestic violence, stalking, or protection order violations.

• Creates a Restorative Justice Coordinating Council within the state judicial department to support program development, maintain a database of existing programs, and assess program efficacy through a uniform satisfaction evaluation by September 1, 2013.

• Establishes a pilot program in the 10th, 12th, 19th, and 20th judicial districts requiring district attorneys to assess juvenile suitability for diversion through restorative justice before filing charges; juveniles pay a $125 fee (reduced on sliding scale) and charges are dismissed upon successful completion.

• Imposes a $10 surcharge on all criminal convictions and juvenile adjudications, with 95% deposited into a Restorative Justice Surcharge Fund to support program costs and with $20,629 and 0.3 FTE appropriated for fiscal year 2013 implementation.