In this service, we will discuss how we deal with wrongdoing or harm in our society, and how our traditional system affects people. We will then describe an alternative approach called Restorative Justice. This alternative deals with wrongdoing from a perspective that focuses on people and relationships, and works on repair rather than punishment.

Susanna was born and raised in New Jersey, but hopes you don’t hold that against her because she got here as soon as she could.  She has always had a strong interest in Social Justice, and is drawn to work and conversations that aim to address oppression and disparities.  She has a Master of Public Health, and the first 2 decades of her career was in this field.  In 2016 she made a change and now works in Restorative Justice, which she loves.  Susanna Weller is employed at the Essex Community Justice Center, which serves Jericho, Underhill, Essex, Colchester, Milton and Westford.  She works with people who commit crimes and people who are affected by crime, in order to help facilitate the repair of harm.  Susanna lives in Starksboro with her wife, Ellen, and their cat, Idgie.