How Can I Help?

Here are some examples of what each of us can do to participate individually and collectively to restore individuals and communities harmed by crime.

Write a letter to your local, state, and national leaders in support of mandatory jail and prison violence prevention and restorative justice programs.  
Donate clothes to battered women's shelters.  
Hire an ex-offender who has demonstrated a restorative justice commitment.  
Volunteer time to help teach people to read.  
Become a mentor in your community.  
Donate to anti-violence education programs.  
Support victims of crime with practical and emotional support.  
Create a sports league for all those harmed by crime to help build community strength, support and familiarity.

For Communities

Start a neighborhood mediation board.   
Support victims of crime with practical and emotional support.  
Support positive personal change by giving ex-offenders the training and the opportunity to work.  
Faith based communities - give support and opportunities to both victims and offenders and their families.  
Create a Sports league for all those harmed by crime to help build links to the community . 
When appropriate, provide opportunities for the offender to make amends to the community.  
Without putting yourself at physical risk, object to language that glories violence.

Get emotional and behavioral help - i.e. batterers groups, psychotherapy and other approaches that will support you accountability and change to pro-social behavior.  
Continue to "own" past behavior and express full responsibility to the crime victim and to the community.  
Make a verbal or written apology.  
Participate in neighborhood clean up.  
Work with other men and women to become mentors and facilitators for violence and relapse prevention groups.