The Neighborhood Justice Center was developed to help citizens peacefully resolve disputes through mediation hearings. It offers an alternative to traditional court hearings. The NJC has been providing mediation services in the District Attorney's Office since 1980. Statistics have shown that disputing parties can successfully resolve their own disputes 90% of the time. This saves the taxpayers thousands of dollars and leaves the courtrooms open for more serious crimes. In 2010, the Neighborhood Justice Center received 1,148 referrals and successfully mediated 732 cases. $22,927 in restitution was collected for victims.

The mediations that occur in the Neighborhood Justice Center fulfill two very important goals in the criminal justice system. First, mediation can provide creative solutions to problems which may not be available in the standard court setting. Second, mediation is an efficient and ecnomical use of resources for minor disputes that tend to receive little time or attention in alread overburdened court system.

What is Mediation?

A trained and neutral mediator will facilitate a meeting between the involved parties with the goal of resolving the issues in a way that is agreeable to everyone. The m ediator will explain the process, establish ground rules, and ask the parties to explain the situation from their perspective. Once the problems are identified, the mediator will assist the parties in developing mutually agreeable terms for resolving the issues creating the conflict.

Referrals can be made through:
-Law enforcement agencies
-Community agencies
-Prosecution or court referrals
-Schools
-Walk-in clients

Regardless of the referral source, all parties must voluntarily agree to participate in the program. Hearings are scheduled during the week to accommodate the public.

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