Four focus groups were held in 1997 that brought together 20 juvenile court judges and 18 crime victims to hear each other's perspectives about problems in juvenile courts. In addition, participants engaged in a structured dialogue about the causes of these problems and potential solutions, especially those that might be developed in accordance with restorative justice principles. The project had six specific objectives: (1) provide crime victims with a greater understanding of juvenile court policies and procedures; (2) provide judges with insights on victim experiences in juvenile courts and ideas for improving juvenile court responses to victim needs; (3) encourage collaboration and dialogue among judges to analyze system constraints and identify solutions to achieve effective victim involvement; (4) recommend solutions to issues such as confidentiality in juvenile cases, inconsistency in restitution orders, and lack of information about case status; (5) provide a rich source of information about opportunities for victim advocacy at both local and national levels; and (6) identify sources of support for and resistance to restorative justice practices. Project findings indicated judges and victims explored a range of actions and strategies to improve the responses of juvenile courts and the juvenile justice system to crime victims. Discussions included system audits, more extensive and strategic use of victim advocates, and expanded citizen involvement, as well as improvements in victim notification, impact statements, and restitution collection and monitoring. Further, judges and victims learned more about restorative justice, giving careful consideration to the effective application of restorative justice principles and practices as part of a comprehensive strategy to improve juvenile court and juvenile justice system responses to crime victims. Principles of restorative justice are reviewed, particularly in the framework of balancing victim needs in the juvenile justice system. 27 references
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