Panelist, City Of Benicia Neighborhood Court
CurrentNeighborhood Court is a non-traditional approach to prosecution of low-level crimes. Only certain misdemeanor and infraction offenses will qualify for participation in the program. Neighborhood Court employs a Restorative Justice Program initiated by the Solano County District Attorney’s Office in cooperation with Benicia Police Department and City of Benicia to address low-level crimes through community based solutions. The program aims to swiftly address the harm caused by the offense, while keeping the case outside the criminal justice system. The program focuses on the harm done to not only an individual, but to the community, and repairing them. Panelists represent the community’s needs, interests, and perspectives with respect to the crime that has been committed by naming the harms the community has experienced, asking questions to understand the circumstances of the crime and deciding as a group the steps necessary to make things right