Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner unveils dashboard tracking how criminal cases were handled during 2020 unrest
To date, 285 people have completed the “Restorative Response Program.”
Philadelphia’s criminal justice system is still feeling the ripple effects from the civil unrest over police killings that erupted across the country two years ago.
District Attorney Larry Krasner on Thursday unveiled an online dashboard that shows how hundreds of criminal cases that emerged during the unrest played out through a first-of-its-kind diversion program in Philadelphia known as restorative justice.
The city has estimated that some 900 businesses were damaged or burglarized in the upheaval that followed the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and an additional 250 after the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. in West Philadelphia, combining for millions of dollars in damage.
But in meting out justice for accused offenders, Krasner has said he wanted a path that “repaired the harm” done to businesses while recognizing that the offenders were largely impoverished, lived in the areas most affected by the unrest, and could not pay restitution.
The newly unveiled interactive web page provides a timeline and context around the events leading up to the civil unrest, and focuses on a pool of several hundred candidates who qualified for the new program, most of whom were accused of breaking into businesses or participating in property destruction.
» READ MORE: Hundreds arrested in Philly uprisings may avoid prosecution through restorative justice
“By participating in the restorative process, victims and defendants came to a mutually agreed-upon outcome to apply accountability and make amends for the harm done,” the DA’s Office wrote on the dashboard website.
The office reviewed 834 potential cases to participate in the “Restorative Response Program.” Of those, 544 defendants were found eligible, according to the DA’s Office. (Krasner’s office said most people police arrested during crowd-clearing operations received only citations.)
Participants had to complete education sessions, were referred to job programs or other community re-engagement opportunities, and participated in restorative justice circles. Business owners also participated in the circles, and received restitution when applicable, according to Krasner’s office. Affected businesses could also apply for grants from the city.
People who committed firearm offenses during the unrest, as well as people who were rearrested for a “serious crime” at a later date, were not eligible for the restorative justice diversion. Krasner also barred those who rented U-Hauls or damaged ATMs during the unrest. But the office claimed it did not consult any individual’s “prior criminal history” in the eligibility screening.
The office says a little more than half of the participants — 285 people — have completed the program thus far. Of those, 12% have been rearrested.
The Inquirer has not independently analyzed the criminal outcomes presented by Krasner’s office.
In a news release Thursday, criminal justice reform advocates praised the program for preventing recidivism.
“Completion of these programs delivered accountability and community healing that the status quo criminal legal system rarely achieves,” the Rev. Donna Jones, a leader of the MCCP Restorative Cities Initiative, said in a statement, adding that “the promising results” show a path forward for similar cases.
In addition to the promising recidivism numbers, the DA touted the program for saving the tax dollars associated with incarceration or other more traditional prosecution methods.