Have you ever made a mistake or said something you wish you could take back? Have you ever chosen unwisely or made a bad decision?
Most of the time we can correct situations ourselves — through an apology or compensation. But sometimes actions lead to an arrest or court appearance. In certain cases, individuals are given an opportunity to repair the harm through diversion to a restorative justice committee.
Carman has been fortunate to have a Community and Area Restorative Justice Committee for many years, although many residents may be unaware it exists or what it does. The committee’s work is confidential, and unlike many organizations, it does not fundraise — its operating costs are covered through provincial restorative justice funding.
The Carman committee currently has eight members and accepts referrals involving youth and adults.
“While restorative justice originally focused on youth, today we work with people of all ages,” said committee representative Allison Abbott-Wiebe.
The number of meetings varies depending on referrals. Some months pass without a meeting, while at other times the committee has met three times in a single month. In a typical year, the committee handles roughly three to seven cases.
“It really depends on the referrals we receive,” Abbott-Wiebe said. “There are times months go by without a meeting, and other times we’ve met several times in a month to work through a case.”
Restorative justice in Manitoba is generally applied to less serious, non-violent or first-time offences. These may include property offences such as theft, break and enter and mischief; offences against a person such as assault, assault with a weapon or uttering threats; and other matters including fraud, drug-related offences and various Criminal Code violations.
Once referred, a committee member contacts the client to explain the process and ask whether they are willing to participate. If they decline, the case returns to the court system.
Those who agree attend a meeting where they must share their story and accept responsibility for the harm caused. The process requires full ownership — there is no room for “I did this, but…”
Clients write a letter of responsibility and suggest ways they might make amends. At the next meeting, the committee reviews the letter and determines sanctions suited to the case. These always include a responsibility letter and an apology to the victim, and may also involve counselling, community service, anger management, mediation or financial restitution.
“Attending the anger management session helped me see that frustration is a kind of anger. I learned some ways to recognize my feelings and react differently,” said one client. “Working through the restorative justice process, I see how I hurt this person with my actions and I can do things differently.”
Committee members check in with clients as they complete sanctions. When finished, the client returns to read their apology before the committee sends it to the victim and conducts a final debrief focused on growth and positive change.
Victim involvement is an important part of the process. Victims may share their story and provide a victim-impact statement, allowing the offender to understand the real consequences of their actions.
Restorative justice does not excuse wrongdoing, but seeks to understand what led to it.
“The goal is restoring trust — between the offender and the victim, and also between the offender and the community,” Abbott-Wiebe said. “People have the opportunity to seek counselling, attend anger management and complete meaningful steps that reduce the chance of reoffending.”
If the committee did not exist, those opportunities would be lost.
“The process helps build stronger communities that support one another,” she said.
“Explaining how I messed up and telling my story to the committee was really hard,” another client said. “I know they’re here to help but that was a tough thing to do.”
Most participants ultimately express gratitude for the opportunity to repair harm and learn alternatives to repeating the same actions.
The committee welcomes new members interested in building a safer, more connected community. A short questionnaire helps ensure values align with the restorative justice approach.
The Carman and Area Restorative Justice Committee will hold its annual general meeting Wednesday, May 27 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Blue Crescent Hotel in Carman. The volunteer-based organization partners with Manitoba Justice and law enforcement, working to make the community a safe and healthy one.
For more information about the Carman and Area Restorative Justice Committee, call or text 431-344-0178.
