“Doing Good” to “Make Good”: Community Theory for Practice in a Restorative Justice Civic Engagement Reentry Model

Abstract

In general, offender reentry strategies have failed to consider the community either as a support, or obstacle, to reintegration. We present a theoretical model and an evaluation protocol for a “civic engagement” approach to reentry focused on both offender and community transformation. Grounded in restorative justice principles of decision making and the obligation to repair the harm of crime, this model features strategically designed civic community service as a primary intervention aimed at: reducing community barriers to the development of positive identities for formerly incarcerated persons; altering the community's image of such persons; and mobilizing and/or building community capacity to provide informal support and assistance.

Key Words:

• Civic engagement
• restorative justice
• civic community service
• reentry
• criminological theory