Programs and Services

Offenders and substance abusers struggle with many issues as they come back to the community, including housing, employment, and family readjustment. These issues complicate the offender's progress toward living a pro-social life.

Circles of Support and Accountability seek to reduce the risk of new offenses by engaging offenders in the community, and opening an avenue for restoration and healing for all people impacted by crime and addiction. This project seeks to help facilitate the engagement of offenders with the community, enhance public safety, and increase public awareness.

COSA members and the offender enter into a covenant to work together to provide support and accountability and to pursue an action plan that moves the offender towards accountability, healing and responsible living.

COSA helps provide a healthy and supportive realtionship between the offender and the community, and works in cooperation with probation, police, social services, treatment professionals, neighborhood groups, employers and housing officials.

The community has the opporunity to assist hte re-entry and reintegration of an offender in a way that builds realtionships and strengthens accountability, thus enhancing community based supervision and treatment efforts.

Victims and Survivors are included and respected by working in a way that is sensitive to their needs and perspectives and which creates opportunities for healing and restoration based on their needs and desires.

Those who have offended are held accountable through:

Increasing their awareness of the impact of their behavior on vicitms and the community.
Creating opportunities for them to accept responsibilty and take appropriate steps to repair harm and make amends.
Living responsible pro-social lives and protecting their dignity as community members.

Principles of Circles of Support and Accountability

We affirm that the community is an essential part in the success of offenders and the restoartion of victims.
We seek to welcome the offender into the community, in safe, healthy and life-giving ways.
We are guided by the principles of restorative justice and are committed to healing, respect, accountability, and restoration.
We will promote personal responsibilty, accountabilty, and encourage pro-social attitudes and beliefs through relationship building, modeling and teaching, while recognizing the offenders unique life experiences.
We commit ourselves to honoring all victims impacted by crime and substance abuse. We commit to include them in sensitive and respectful ways.