The forum brings together the offender, family members, committee members and other relevant members of the community. The process focuses on healing for the offenders and the victims and the relationship that may exist between them.

"Here in the North, unlike the South, the offender and the victim know each other," said Nora Sanders, deputy minister of justice for the NWT.

"Most often, the victim has an interest in how (the offender) will turn out," Sanders said.

In January of 1997, the RCMP sent two of its members out to Regina, for a "training the trainers" course.

"We, the police, are very excited about trying out this type of justice because it really goes to the heart of the problem," RCMP Sgt. Tom Steggles with the community policing division in Yellowknife, said in a press release.

"The system tells the suspect to keep his mouth shut and do his best to get away with the crime."

In fact, said Steggles, "it places zero responsibility or accountability on the accused."

And that's why the RCMP in the NWT are so excited about the new program.

"The accused is encouraged to acknowledge what he has done -- making it easier to find a lasting solution," Steggles said.

Const. Anna Marie Mallard of the Yellowknife RCMP attended the course in Regina. She said she hopes that around Christmas the RCMP detachment will be ready to begin training members of other detachments, social workers and educators for community justice forums.

"The big thing right now is getting out there and educating people about the concept," Mallard said.

"We are planning on going out and promoting the concept in the schools this fall."

The RCMP must have three trials under its belt before Mallard can begin training other trainers. The RCMP have dealt with one already. The case involved two young offenders.

Mallard said the process is very time-consuming but she feels positive about the potential for the project.

There are no statistics available in Canada about the re-offending rates for offenders after participation in the forum.

And Nora Sanders said the community justice forum isn't for everyone.

"At this time spousal and sexual assaults are not referred to community justice." she said.

"It is the Crown who chooses who participates. A person must be willing to own up to what they have done."

But both Steggles and Sanders agreed that chances are people will still re-offend.

"There are often those that get a second or third crack at it," Mallard said.