WEBVTT

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(bright music)

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- [Offender] Usually, me and
Raynard just go to the park

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to hang out and play and whatnot,

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and then out of curiosity,

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we just jumped the fence to the school.

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We walked around and then
we found the open window.

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We were actually surprised
that this was all happening.

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Wow, this is crazy.

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After we finished trashing the classroom,

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we bolted out and then
went straight to my house.

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I can't believe that we just did this.

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- Came in to work and my
finance secretary called me

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and she said, "Mr. Christman,
you better come over here.

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"There's been a break-in."

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- [Offender] I felt really guilty

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because I knew the amount
of damage was significant.

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- It had been completely trashed.

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I've seen tagging and broken windows,

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but nothing of this magnitude.

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- [Offender] There were pictures online.

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It was posted on a closed
group page on Facebook.

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- I think it was the court
system that contacted me

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and asked if I would be willing

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to go through the
Restorative Justice process

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with the perpretators.

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- [Narrator] For the last 20 years,

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the Restorative Justice Mediation Program

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has been working to improve the lives

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of people affected by crime

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through Victim Offender Dialogue.

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- [Offender] When RJMP was
introduced to my family,

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they were really happy
and excited about it

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because they knew that it was
a program that would help me.

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- I was able to facilitate a situation

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between the offender being juveniles

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and the victim being a school.

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- The kind of cases that work best

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for Restorative Justice
Victim Offender Dialogue

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are cases where there's a clear offender

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and a clear victim.

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- So this empowers them

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and allows them an
opportunity to have a voice

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and to directly address the person

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that's committed the harm.

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- At the moment that I experienced that,

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I saw that there was healing.

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- Something like Restorative Justice,

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where an offender has the opportunity

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to see the person who
they offended face-to-face

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and to have dialogue with them

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will be, and always has been,

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one of the most important
tools in rehabilitating.

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- This is a great opportunity

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for the victim and the offender

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to get together and have some closure.

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- [Offender] When I was in
the same room as the principal

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and I did look him in the eye,
and I did say, "I'm sorry,"

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it felt very relieving

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because I've always wanted
to get that off my chest.

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I was really sad.

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I started crying because the principal

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was such a really nice guy.

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- Wow, the power of an apology,
if it's a sincere apology,

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it's almost like completely removing

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any kind of ill-doing that
was done in the first place.

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- I think it's hard to conceptualize

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if you just hear about this,

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that a victim and offender
can really come together

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and leave different people,

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be completely transformed.

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- Transformation is
what we're looking for.

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- The impact it's had on me is

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given me faith in humanity.

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- Transforming lives.

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Victims' lives, offenders'
lives, their families,

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communities impacted by crime.

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- [Offender] We have worked a plan

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to help with the restitution.

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We are doing community
service at the school.

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- I kind of stuck to my guns

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regarding the work that
I wanted them to do.

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- [Offender] I actually enjoy the work

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because I know that I'm finally
giving back to the school

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and I have a chance to right my wrongs.

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- They can change, they can transform,

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even under the worst circumstances.

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- My role in sending cases to RJMP

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is to ensure that the probation
officers in our department

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know what's available out there

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for the victims and the offenders.

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- [Narrator] Victim/offender dialogue

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is not "soft on crime."

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It holds offenders accountable

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to victims, families, and communities.

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For offenders who complete

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a victim/offender dialogue program,

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the rate of re-offending drops up to 60%.

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Over 90% of crime victims who participate

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report satisfaction.

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- I think what we need from
the community is support.

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We need people to talk to
other people about the program.

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The other thing, frankly, that
we can use from the community

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is financial support.

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This program is privately funded.

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It's funded by private
foundations and individuals

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who are passionate about the work we do.

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- I would definitely recommend
the program to other people.

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- [Narrator] San Diego needs

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the Restorative Justice Mediation Program.

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If you share our values

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for lasting, transformative,
restorative justice,

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please join us and
support our efforts today.

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Visit our website at sdrjmp.org.

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Thank you.

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