There is uncertainty about the future of a county program that sets up meetings between juvenile offenders, parents, police and victims.

Federal funding for the program, called restorative justice, will run out at the end of this month, said Assistant County Attorney Erin O’Brien. With money for the program from Freeborn County Family Services Collaborative drying up next year, the program, which costs less than the court system and boasts a low re-offense rate, is in the hands of the county commissioners as they begin piecing together the budget for 2004.

The program deals with juveniles ages 13 to 17 who have committed property crimes under $250 &045; things like theft of a tube of lipstick, tagging someone’s garage or breaking a window. The program only accepts first-time offenders or those who haven’t offended in two years. Consequences sometimes include meeting with victims, apology letters, community service and counseling.

Assistant Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said the court system isn’t the ideal place to deal with the petty crimes of juveniles. &uot;Some kids make bad decisions,&uot; he said. &uot;You don’t want to label a kid as bad just because they made a mistake.&uot;

Winkels said prior to the restorative justice program, which began in 1999, petty property crime offenders would be put in the diversion program, which began in 1991, where they might receive a &uot;don’t do it again&uot; warning and community service. The diversion program continues today for victimless crimes by first-time offenders, like marijuana, alcohol or tobacco possession.

The restorative justice program differs from the diversion program because it offers victims the opportunity hold the offenders accountable, Winkels said. &uot;It is a very important communiy service as far as the victims are concerned.&uot;

A study by the University of Minnesota said that 88 percent of victims said they would recommend the program to other victims. Statistics show that restitution is paid in 100 percent of cases.

Winkels said most first-time offending juveniles would not re-offend anyway, but the program does lessen the recidivism rate even further.

O’Brien said fewer re-offending youths means less money spent on courts.

However, she admitted that statistics don’t exist proving that the 5 percent recidivism rate under Freeborn County’s restorative justice program would be any higher with an alternate program like the diversion program, which is less expensive.

According to the 2002 university study, the traditional court costs average $1,006.64 for re-offenders on petty property crimes while the restorative program costs $325.50. The diversion program costs $124.50.

County Board Chairman Mark Behrends said restorative justice is a good program and that it could save the county money.

&uot;It certainly appears that you have to spend some money to save money later, but then again you have to have the money now to spend,&uot; he said.

He said the fact that courts are already so overwhelmed is another piece of the puzzle to consider. But he said the board has to make decisions about lots of programs.

&uot;They’re all good programs, its difficult to pick and choose.

(Contact Tim Sturrock at tim.sturrock@albertleatribune.com or 379-3438.)