Senator Eldridge Secures $80,000 in ARPA Funds for Restorative Justice Program

The funds will allow the restorative justice advisory committee to partner with a university, fulfilling its mandate to review and track community-based restorative justice programs.

Boston, MA - State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Acton) has secured $80,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the restorative justice program. The Massachusetts State Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a $3.82 billion bill that directs federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to assist the Commonwealth’s ongoing recovery, with a particular focus on making equitable investments and ensuring that communities disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are prioritized. Using this framework, the bill delivers targeted, transformational support to critical sectors such as health care, mental and behavioral health, housing security, environment, and workforce development. Among these priorities, exploring the potential of restorative justice programs is of great importance.

“In the Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2018 known as the CJRA, I was proud to author the provisions on restorative justice,” said Senator Eldridge. “The CJRA also created a restorative justice advisory committee, on which I serve as the Senate member. These ARPA funds will allow the advisory committee to fulfill its statutory mandate of partnering with a university to do its work. The guidance of an academic expert will be invaluable to the advisory committee, and will help it meet its mission.” 

Restorative justice is the idea that criminal harm can be restored through an obligation to heal and “put right” the harms. It is a humane alternative to incarceration. The restorative justice advisory committee is responsible for reviewing and tracking community-based restorative justice programs. The advisory committee is very active and has issued three annual reports since its creation. However, due to a lack of funding, the advisory committee has been unable to partner with a university to fulfill its statutory mandate of reviewing and tracking community-based restorative justice programs. These recently secured ARPA funds will allow it to fulfill this statutory mandate. 

With both the House and Senate having passed their own versions of ARPA spending plans, the two bills must now be reconciled before heading to the Governor’s desk.

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