UPDC Neighborhood Safety Report: Restorative Justice helps neighbors

[Annie Johnson]

Good Afternoon,

 

The most recent Crime Notification Report (July 12-18, 2012) for the Union Park District Council is attached.

 

UPDC Residents:  The Union Park District Council, with support from the West Summit Neighborhood Advisory Committee (WSNAC), Saint Paul City Attorney's Office, and Dispute Resolution Center, is launching a brand new community-based Restorative Justice Program to start dealing with student-related crime in the neighborhood. 

Union Park has heard from neighbors that addressing student-related issues, often resulting from the over-consumption of alcohol, is a huge priority for neighbors. The Saint Paul Police Department even has a special police detail specifically to deal with student-related issues (ZAP - Zero Alcohol Policy). The UPDC Restorative Justice Program is a community-driven way to educate students about the impacts of their actions and encourage behavior changes. 

 

Students who are referred to the UPDC Restorative Justice Program would have the opportunity to take responsibility for their actions by meeting with community members in a restorative circle and doing community service. Upon completing the program to the satisfaction of the neighbors involved in the circle, the student offender would have all charges from their case dismissed.

 

Union Park wants to use this program to increase the livability of the neighborhood and improve the relationship between students and the broader community, as well as reduce the number of student-related disturbances in the area. 

 

We need YOUR help! In order for this program to be successful, we need volunteers from the neighborhood willing to talk about their experiences with student-related crime, as well as communicate the short-term and long-term impacts that past student behavior has on individuals and the community. Interested? Want to know more? Contact Annie at an...@unionparkdc.org

 

The Union Park District Council's Neighborhood Issues Committee (NIC) meets once per month to discuss issues related to Crime and Safety, Traffic Calming and Pedestrian Issues, and Neighborhood Communication and Outreach.  All NIC meetings are open to the public and the committee welcomes community participation.  The next NIC meeting will be on Monday, August 13^th from 6:30-8pm.  For more information, please contact the Union Park office at (651)645-6887 or by email at in...@unionparkdc.org

 

Union Park District Council

1570 Concordia Ave, Suite LL100

St. Paul, MN 55104

(651)645-6887

in...@unionparkdc.org