Colorado - Definitions – Restorative Justice Practices

Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18-1-901 (West)

Population: All populations

Legal Features: Definition

Law Type: Statute

Excerpt of Relevant Text:

(o.5) “Restorative justice practices” means practices that emphasize repairing the harm caused to victims and the community by offenses. Restorative justice practices include victim-offender conferences, family group conferences, circles, community conferences, and other similar victim-centered practices. Restorative justice practices are facilitated meetings attended voluntarily by the victim or victim’s representatives, the victim’s supporters, the offender, and the offender’s supporters and may include community members. By engaging the parties to the offense in voluntary dialogue, restorative justice practices provide an opportunity for the offender to accept responsibility for the harm caused to the victim and community, promote victim healing, and enable the participants to agree on consequences to repair the harm, to the extent possible, including but not limited to apologies, community service, reparation, restoration, and counseling. Restorative justice practices may be used in addition to any other conditions, consequences, or sentence imposed by the court.

Read Full Text of Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 18-1-901 (West)