How to close the prison system through restorative justice
Episode 1 and Episode 100 of our Greater Than Zero Percent (GTZP) podcast have something in common: we interview two non-profit organizations (Precious Blood Ministry of Reconciliation [PBMR] and Lawndale Christian Legal Center [LCLC]) that are both on a mission to close our prison systems.
The city of Chicago, for example, has long been plagued by violence, with the number of homicides and shootings reaching an all-time high in 2020. In response to this crisis, the Lawndale Christian Legal Center (LCLC) has been working to disrupt the cycle of violence in Chicago through restorative justice.
Restorative justice is a form of alternative dispute resolution that focuses on repairing harm caused by crime or conflict. It seeks to bring together those affected by a crime or conflict and provide them with an opportunity to discuss how they were impacted and how they can move forward.
This approach is often seen as more effective than traditional criminal justice systems, which focus on punishing offenders without addressing underlying issues that may have led to the crime or conflict in the first place. The LCLC was founded in 2004 with a mission to provide legal services for low-income individuals and families living in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods. Since then, it has become one of the leading organizations providing restorative justice services in Chicago.
The LCLC works closely with local schools, churches, community organizations, and law enforcement agencies to provide restorative justice programs for youth offenders as well as victims of violence. One example of their work is their Restorative Justice Youth Court program which provides an alternative approach for resolving juvenile cases outside of traditional court proceedings.
Through this program, youth offenders are given an opportunity to take responsibility for their actions while also learning from their mistakes through dialogue and mediation rather than punishment alone. The goal is not only to reduce recidivism but also help young people develop skills such as communication and problem-solving that will help them avoid future conflicts or criminal behavior down the road.
In addition to its Restorative Justice Youth Court program, the LCLC also offers other programs designed specifically for victims of violence such as its Victim Support Group Program which provides counseling services for survivors of violent crimes including domestic abuse and sexual assault.
This program helps survivors heal from trauma while also providing them with resources such as legal assistance if needed so they can seek justice against perpetrators who have harmed them or their loved ones.
The LCLC’s work is making a real difference in disrupting the cycle of violence in Chicago’s West Side neighborhoods by providing alternatives that address underlying issues rather than simply punishing offenders without taking into account any mitigating factors involved in a particular case or situation.
By offering support services such as counseling and legal assistance along with restorative justice programs like its Restorative Justice Youth Court program, it is helping create safer communities where individuals can heal from trauma while learning valuable life skills that will help prevent future conflicts from occurring down the road.
Thank you Cliff Nellis, J.D., M.Div., M.B.A. for taking time to share you work and the work being done at LCLC.
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