Marathon County Restorative Justice Program began as a collaboration between Marathon County Department of Social Services and Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin in 2005. The two sought to use a service delivery model of Victim-Offender Conferencing, with the anticipated outcomes of increasing offender accountability and diverting youth from further juvenile justice involvement; increasing resources to youth and their families to reduce risk and build protective factors; and to provide important assistance and restitution to crime victims. Victims of crime are central to the process and are given a voice to express their thoughts and feelings as to how they have been affected. They become a part of the judicial process by being able to construct an agreement with the offender as to how the offender will make reparations.

Since the beginning of the program, Restorative Justice has added Family Conferencing, the Youth Educational Shoplifting Prevention Program and a Restitution Project.  From 2005 through 2007, services were typically only provided to youth age 16 and under. The most recent addition to programming began in 2008 and includes 17 and 18 year olds. These teens are considered adults in our current legal system, but are now eligible to participate in restorative programming.         

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