What is a community reparation board?

A community reparation board functions as a collaborative body that involves community members aiming to address crime impact by overseeing and enforcing probation conditions among offenders. This group plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between the justice system and the community by emphasizing restorative justice principles.

These boards typically consist of volunteers from the community who are dedicated to supporting offenders in fulfilling their probation requirements. They monitor compliance, offer guidance, and provide resources to assist individuals in their rehabilitation process. By engaging community members in this way, it fosters accountability and promotes constructive relationships between offenders and the society they have affected.

In contrast, groups that assess sentencing or decide on parole eligibility focus more on judicial or correctional decisions rather than community involvement in rehabilitation and enforcing conditions of probation. Avoiding punitive measures, community reparation boards aim to repair harm and encourage positive community contributions from those under supervision.