New Center Offers Free Assistance to Improve Victim Restitution Processes
A new resource center from The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the National Crime Victim Law Institute (NCVLI) offers free assistance to states as they seek to improve the quality of their victim restitution systems.
When a crime is committed, the victim of the crime pays a price—whether physically, emotionally, financially, or a combination of these. Restitution—the repayment of the financial losses by the person convicted of the crime—can be a crucial resource for victims.
However, while restitution is a widely supported practice among criminal justice and victims’ rights practitioners and policymakers, there is no guarantee that it will be collected. States and local jurisdictions often don’t know who owes restitution, how much people owe, to whom restitution is owed, and how it is collected and disbursed.
The Restitution Resource Center will help states improve their ability to effectively order, collect, disburse, and fulfill restitution sentences. The center, supported by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, will facilitate peer networks and information exchange as well as provide a central hub for best practices and successful innovations in the field.
States and local communities can contact the Restitution Resource Center for help with restitution improvement. The CSG Justice Center’s partnership with NCVLI also provides the ability to offer assistance related to restitution case law, legal practices, and victim rights, which will help jurisdictions improve their practices and ensure that victims are not left behind.
Photo by bialasiewicz on Envato Elements.
About the Authors
Former Program Director, State Initiatives
Shundrea
Trotty
led
technical
assistance
efforts
to
states
improving
the
systemic
response
to
victims.
She
worked
alongside
state
leaders
to
enhance
crime
victim
compensation
programs,
restitution
practices,
and
victim
assistance
funding
processes.
Before
joining
the
CSG
Justice
Center,
she
was
...
director
of
Iowa
Services
and
Projects
with
Iowa
Coalition
Against
Sexual
Assault.
Having
worked
in
direct
service
for
over
20
years,
she
has
led
culturally
specific
programs
serving
communities
of
color
and
focusing
on
reentry,
reunification,
job
readiness,
and
employment.
Shundrea
started
her
career
in
grassroots
community
organizing
and
holds
a
BBA
from
William
Penn
University,
an
MPA
with
a
nonprofit
emphasis
from
Drake
University,
and
is
completing
a
doctorate
of
education
in
leadership
at
Drake
University.
Read More
Public Affairs Manager, Communications and External Affairs
Sheridan
Watson
develops
media
relations,
public
affairs,
and
digital
strategies
to
advance
organization-wide
initiatives.
Prior
to
joining
the
CSG
Justice
Center,
she
served
for
more
than
10
years
as
a
spokeswoman
and
communications
advisor
for
three
members
of
Congress.
Previously,
...
she
managed
a
portfolio
of
policy
issues
for
the
Georgia
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
served
in
communications
roles
at
the
Archdiocese
of
Washington
and
the
Georgia
Department
of
Natural
Resources.
Sheridan
earned
her
ABJ
in
public
relations
from
the
University
of
Georgia
and
her
MA
in
legislative
affairs
from
The
George
Washington
University.
Read More
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