Editor’s note: In April, Chris Demet received a citation for minor consumption at a party. Rather than pay a fine, Demet chose to make amends by participating in the Restorative Justice Community Action (RJCA) program, which “works… to enhance offender accountability for urban livability crimes,” according to a description on the RJCA website, www.rjca-inc.org.

RJCA brings offenders like Demet face-to-face, in a small-group setting, with community members who are directly and indirectly affected by the crime to talk about the impact of the offense and educate the offender about how his or her actions affect the neighborhood. The group and offender then agree on a community restitution agreement that may require the offender to perform volunteer service, offer apologies, make donations or partake in personal development activities such as classes or counseling.

Demet wrote the following public letter of apology.

To the residents of the SE Como neighborhood:

I am a student at the University of Minnesota who was given a drinking citation on April 28, 2007, when the Minneapolis Police broke up a house party at 18th and Como. After receiving the citation, I decided to participate in the Restorative Justice program.

Through the Restorative Justice program, I met people who lived in the SE Como neighborhood and talked to them about the effect on their lives that student partying in the neighborhood has, and I completed a total of eight hours of service at the Southeast Christian Church and the Como Gardens at 22nd and Como.

Through the Restorative Justice program, I witnessed how hard people living in the neighborhood work to keep the area clean and safe, and how my actions affect more that just myself when I choose to party in the area and cause a disturbance for the neighbors.

I apologize to the members of the SE Como neighborhood who may have been disturbed by my disruptive actions on the night of April 28, 2007.

—Sincerely, Chris Demet

last revised: September 7, 2007

• Login or register to post comments