Senator Eldridge Secures $400,000 for Restorative Justice Grant Program in Senate FY23 Budget
The amendment provides a stable source of funding for restorative justice programs to be created throughout Massachusetts
Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) has secured $400,000 for restorative justice grant programs during the debate in the Senate FY23 budget. Last month, the Massachusetts State Senate passed a $49.78 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23). Restorative justice programs are critical to criminal justice reform as criminal harm is thought to be restored through an obligation to heal – a human alternative to incarceration.
With unanimous support, the budget makes significant, critical and targeted investments in the areas of education, healthcare, housing and community support to meet the on-the-ground challenges brought on by the global pandemic and ongoing financial uncertainty.
The restorative justice provision has now led to demand outpacing the supply of community-based restorative justice providers. This amendment seeks to solve the problem by providing a stable source of funding for restorative justice programs to be created throughout Massachusetts - serving low-income communities.
“I rise in strong support to create a community-based restorative justice grant program that will serve as a landmark for our criminal justice reform progress,” said Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton), who championed the proposal and also serves as the co-chair of the state’s criminal justice reform caucus. “We will be able to provide humane alternatives to incarceration. With a well-funded program, we can allow certain criminal harm to be healed and put right, and not simply put people behind bars. ”
“Restorative justice is a tool for lasting change. It serves both to remediate and to rehabilitate. Through specialized programming, it provides a substantive learning experience beyond what participants have received from the court.” said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. “I applaud Senator Eldridge for his continued leadership and partnership on this issue. For transformative changes to the criminal system there must be support and multi-sector collaboration. This funding will provide Middlesex County and others across the Commonwealth the opportunity to expand access to this important programing.”
Current legislation in CJRA allows a juvenile or adult defendant to be diverted to a community-based restorative justice program pre-arraignment or at any stage of a case without the consent of the district attorney or the victim. The program is codified in Section 2 or Chapter 276B of the Mass. General Laws.
The Senate’s FY23 Budget is available on the Massachusetts legislature’s website, by clicking here. Now that the Senate and Massachusetts House of Representatives have passed their respective budget proposals, both branches will now work together, form a conference committee and reconcile differences.
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