Concord residents Nancy Birchard, Blair Robertson, Ralph Shaner, and Emily Wheeler have completed the training for volunteers with Communities for Restorative Justice (C4RJ).

The training equips them to participate in restorative justice circles, which are convened for certain criminal offenses referred by police departments.

C4RJ partners with area police departments to bring together people who have been harmed by crime with those who did the harm, in order to promote healing and restitution. C4RJ volunteers join these individuals in circles to hear the needs and concerns of victims and to support offenders in making amends and examining decision making.

The Concord Police Department was the first department in C4RJ and has since been joined by the police departments of Acton, Ayer, Boxborough, Carlisle, Groton, Littleton, and Westford.
For more information about C4RJ and restorative justice, visit  HYPERLINK "http:/www.c4rj.com or call 978.318.3447.