DIVERT OFFENDERS FROM STATE PRISONS

Given the Little Hoover Commission's criticism of the state's parole
system (Page 1C, Nov. 14), a better approach might be to divert as
many people as we can before they enter California's prisons.

That was a goal of Santa Clara County's Restorative Justice program.
Started six years ago, Restorative Justice is a community-based
intervention program for juveniles that allows first- and second-time
offenders accused of misdemeanor offenses to appear before a
"neighborhood court" instead of a Juvenile Hall judge. Made up of
local citizens, the neighborhood court works with probation officials
and social workers to determine what restitution will be made to the
victim and the community. It also determines what "repairs," such as
anger management counseling or substance abuse treatment, should be
made to the offender.

Restorative Justice programs claim an 85 to 90 percent success rate in
keeping youthful offenders from becoming repeat offenders. Probation
Chief John Cavalli has suggested that the program could be expanded to
serve the general adult probation population. Yes, it might be
expensive, but would it cost more than what we are currently spending
on repairing the physical, financial and emotional damage that repeat
offenders cause?

Harold Grey

San Jose