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District attorney and community partners seek board approval for restorative‑justice conferencing pilot
Summary
San Luis Obispo County’s district attorney and nonprofit Restorative Partners presented a one‑year restorative‑justice conferencing pilot to the board on Oct. 8, describing the program as rehabilitative, voluntary, and complementary to probation; the item was approved on the consent agenda.
District Attorney Dan Dow and representatives from Restorative Partners asked the Board of Supervisors on Oct. 8 to approve a one-year restorative‑justice conferencing program for adult probationers as a county pilot.
Dow described restorative justice as a rehabilitative component of probation that allows willing offenders to meet victims in a structured, facilitated conference aimed at repairing harms. "This is not a program that is, in lieu of punishment," Dow said. Cindy Ayala of Restorative Partners explained the conferences are structured meetings that identify harms and obligations and are trauma-informed in approach.
The pilot would be operated by Restorative Partners with a grant from the local community corrections partnership; speakers including Sister Teresa and other nonprofit representatives praised the collaboration and urged board approval. The item was included in the consent agenda and was not among the items the board held for separate consideration.
What’s next: the pilot is authorized for one year under the terms described; staff and Restorative Partners will implement the program and report back to the board as the pilot progresses.
