Restorative Justice

“I have seen his ways and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.” (Isaiah 57:18)
 
“Our response to crime in the United States is a moral test for our nation and a challenge for our Church.” (Restorative Justice Statement, p. 1)
 
What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative is a comprehensive approach to addressing crime, which recognizes that the criminal justice system must incorporate the victims, offenders, and the communities in a restorative effort while focusing on the injuries, needs, and responsibilities of those involved in a given criminal situation. There are three fundamental principles of any true restorative justice perspective:

1. Crimes injure victims, communities, and offenders. Thus there is a place for restitution, accountability, and forgiveness;
2. Therefore, not only government, by also victims, offenders, and communities must be involved in the solution process. Thus there is a place for personal responsibility and redemption;
3. In this process, government is responsible to preserve order while the community is responsible to create peace. Thus, there is a place for discipline, fairness, and reconciliation.

This approach, based on the Judeo-Christian Tradition, is different form the approach currently in place in our society thorough its criminal justice system and seeks to promote restoration, making whole, and not only to punish; it seeks to find solution, not only to find guilt.
 
The Restorative/Criminal Justice Ministry has a Diocesan Steering Committee and fosters the organization of Restorative/Criminal Justice Ministry Teams in the parishes within the diocese.
 
Restorative Justice Ministry Diocesan Coordinator

• Sr. Christine Doman, CSJ
  

Diocesan Steering Committee

• Delia Gomes
  
• Joaquin Santoyo
• Kevin Forsythe

Parish Criminal Justice Ministry

• Saint Patrick Cathedral
  
• Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Sacred Heart
• Blessed Sacrament
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel
• Corpus Christi
• Saint Peter and Saint Paul
• Queen of Peace
• Our Lady of the Valley

 
The Diocese of El Paso responds to the reality of crime in a variety of ways:

1.     Jail and Prison Ministry
The Criminal Justice Ministry is responsible to prepare, certify, and orient persons who would like to become jail and/or prison ministers. These ministers visit detention centers within the Diocese of El Paso.
 
The certification is accomplished by taking the Christian Formation (12) classes in the fall of any given year and attending the Ministry Training on Criminal Justice offered every year in the winter, both through Tepeyac. After that, the person in conversation with the pastor and the diocesan criminal justice ministry coordinator identify a facility to serve and get clearance by attending an mandated orientation workshop provided by the detention system and background check. The minister must also clear the diocesan background check provided by the safe environment office.
 
For more information call Sr. Christine Doman, CSJ at 872-8450.
 
2.     Isaiah House of El Paso
The Restorative/Criminal Justice Ministry has put in motion a process that is working on starting a facility, a home, to receive ex-offenders coming out of state prison, who have no one to receive and support them in their process of reintegration into society. This House seeks to facilitate the positive reintegration of each of these individuals in a positive fashion in order to restore their potential and to diminish recidivism.
 
For more information call (915)872-8422.
 Isaiah House Flyer 

3.     Wrongful Incarceration and Systemic Abuse
In collaboration with CURE
For more information call (915)872-8450.
 
4.     Death Penalty
The Catholic Church in the US, through its leadership by the Bishops, has a campaign to end the use of the death penalty.
I
n El Paso, the diocese collaborates with:
EPADP (El Pasoans against Death Penalty)
Call Pat Delgado 740-3962

TCADP (Texas Coalition to Abolish Death Penalty)
 
5.     Families of the Incarcerated
Some of the parish criminal justice ministry teams dedicate themselves to supporting emotionally and materially the families of the incarcerated.