Center for Alternatives in Community Justice

May Peace and Justice Surround You this Holiday Season!

AN INVITATION

Our work at CACJ is not terribly glamorous. We don’t make the headlines or get huge twitter followers. I doubt that more than a handful of folks have visited our webpage this year, and not many more have even heard of us. Some of my own close family members still stumble over exactly what CACJ stands for. Perhaps the reason, thankfully, is that not everyone needs us. But for those who do. Those with adolescent, inexperienced teen minds who are led to make poor decisions. Or those who, even as they grow older, get caught up in legal distress with few restorative possibilities. Or partners with challenging relationships who often seem divided around children, finance, and a multitude of other issues and a judge in a courtroom just doesn’t seem like a really good answer. Or for a group of co-workers, neighbors, classmates, communities of people who need to sort through some difficult issues; CACJ, that hard to remember acronym, seems critically vital.

Vital, because CACJ, the Center for Alternatives in Community Justice, has proven restorative justice programs that can provide answers for these individuals, our neighbors, our community. Our Youth Aid Panel can sit with youth, walk with them through an understanding and growing process that helps them identify why they may have made that poor decision, and how they can best restore relationships damaged, trust lost, and self- worth challenged. Our pretrial program can invite those who await adjudication to consider opportunities that might best restore them, or discover answers that will help them become more stable citizens, and thus provide alternatives to crime or violence against community. Our mediation, or conferencing team, can sit with individuals, or groups, and talk confidentially and with guided transparency, often leading to resolution and restorative answers that benefit all involved. Not leaving important life changing decisions in the hands of lawyers, judges, or arbitrators who know only portions of the story.

Today, as we as a nation and world stand in such divided times; as wars destruct and tear apart individual lives, communities, and cultures the work of restorative justice seems so vital. Our work at CACJ may not touch those on battlefields in Ukraine, or on the streets of Gaza, yet they do model for our community an alternative understanding to conflict. One that offers hope, rather than hopelessness.

This humble letter is our request that you consider becoming a part of our communities healing restorative work. Your financial donation will be so greatly appreciated. If you feel drawn to this work, we would also welcome new board members, or program volunteers as your time might allow.

For more information please get in touch with Phil Jones. Donations can be directed to CACJ, 215 Robin Alley, State College, PA 16801. You may also donate through our website link at www.cacj.us.

In peace,
Phil Jones, Executive Director, CACJ

CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVES IN COMMUNITY JUSTICE

A Centre County United Way Partner Agency