The New Jersey Department of Corrections acknowledges the need
for inmates to recognize the impact of their crime(s) on victims
and the community. To educate inmates and provide greater understanding
and awareness about the harm they have inflicted, as well as to
prevent future destructive behavior, the New Jersey Department
of Corrections offers a voluntary victim-impact program entitled,
Focus on the Victim, which employs restorative justice
principles as its main focus.
Focus on the Victim seeks to provide inmates with
the opportunity to examine the impact of crime through the process
of group discussion/interactions, videos, experiential learning
activities, and presentations by guest speakers. One of the most
significant aspects of the Focus on the Victim Program
is the personalizing of the crime and its effect on the victims.
To enforce this, the Focus on the Victim Program supplements
the victim impact curriculum by utilizing the experiences and
expertise of local crime victims, secondary victims and victim
service professionals throughout the community as guest speakers
for group presentations.
Throughout this 14-week voluntary program, inmates have the opportunity
to explore the impact of crimes ranging from property crime, assault,
hate-bias crime, domestic violence, sexual assault, drugs, child
abuse, elder abuse, and homicide. Additional concepts of restorative
justice, making amends, and recognizing the impact of crime on
the family structure are covered. To date, more than 700 inmates
throughout 14 NJDOC correctional institutions have graduated from
the Focus on the Victim Program.
