To the editor:

Jail overcrowding in Lawrence is a serious concern, but there are many possible ways to alleviate it — not just building an addition. Under the restorative justice model, the victim and the offender meet to discuss the event with the help of a trained volunteer facilitator. Then the offender apologizes and the two parties agree on how the offender can make the victim whole and/or provide meaningful community service. The offender is not arrested, charged and jailed if he or she successfully abides by the agreement. The criminal justice and school systems in Longmont, Colo., have had great success with this model. About 90 percent of offenders complete their contracts to repair harms. The recidivism rate of offenders is only 10 percent and victim satisfaction is 98 percent. Most importantly, Longmont is sending fewer people to the county jail.

Here is an example of restorative justice. A young woman broke into a cafe one night in a small town in Nova Scotia and stole money. The agreement was she had to cook a community dinner and return the money. So, instead of going to jail, she was able to turn her life around. Lawrence and Douglas County should study the Restorative Justice model and see if it should be adopted here.

Clark H. Coan,

Lawrence