BOSTON, October 10, 2018—A longtime member of Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas’ executive staff was sworn in today as a member of the Restorative Justice Advisory Committee created by statute earlier this year.

Director of Community Engagement Kara Hayes, who has served in the Suffolk DA’s office for 30 years, was sworn in at the Massachusetts State House as a member of the restorative justice panel created through legislation that was passed into law this spring. The committee is tasked with reviewing community-based restorative justice programs across the state and making policy recommendations, including performance measurements and training requirements.

Director of Community Engagement Kara Hayes is sworn in as a member of the state’s Restorative Justice Advisory Committee at the Massachusetts State House.

“Kara’s work in restorative justice spans almost 20 years,” Pappas said. “She was instrumental in facilitating our office’s first restorative justice training in 2003 and created programming that brings our staff together with survivors and defendants in RJ circles. With this appointment, the Commonwealth as a whole will benefit from her wisdom, experience, and survivor-centered guidance. She is an excellent choice to serve on the state’s restorative justice advisory committee.”

Hayes began her career as a victim witness advocate and led the office’s Victim Witness Assistance Program before taking her current assignment overseeing community outreach initiatives across Suffolk County. She began training in restorative justice practices 18 years ago; wrote her MPA thesis on restorative justice implementation in Boston; and currently helps facilitate restorative justice centered programming with the Youthful Offender Coalition at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk.

Today’s swearing-in marks the beginning of Hayes’ 6-year appointment to the 17-member committee.

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