I have decided to start a series that will highlight various example of restorative justice in action. Here is the first installment:

A woman named Philippa Hughes was mugged last year. Here is some information about the incident:

Hughes was talking on her cell phone and walking in Shaw when the man tried to snatch it from her hands. But Hughes wouldn’t let go. In the struggle, he broke free. She ran after him, screaming — loud enough to summon College of Art and Design professor Lucy Hogg, who lives in the area, to her front door. The alleged mugger, who was apparently off balance, ran into the car in the picture.

A plains-clothes officer jumped the suspect immediately. He cuffed the mug as three more police cars arrived.

The officers told Hughes that this suspect was wanted in other snatching cases. The plains-clothes officer, who happened to be in the area to see the whole thing go down, called in for backup and was ready to act at the right moment, Hughes said.

Usually, this is where the story ends. However Ms. Hughes recently received a letter from the man who attacked her:

I am writing this letter to let you know that I apologize for what I did. I am truly sorry, I can imagine the pain and trauma I have caused in your life. You have every reason to have negative feelings towards me and to want to see me incarcerated. I am not the type of person that does stuff like that; I am a very likable and unique person with a good heart. I was at a down point in my life when I made the mistake of mugging you but that is still no excuse. I have made myself look like something I’m not. I am very disappointed in myself and embarrassed. While I was incarcerated I thought about what I did every day and that is something I have to live with for the rest of my life. I have suffered a lot while I was in jail and I changed a lot. I know you don’t want to even hear from me but I hope you can take me into consideration and hopefully one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me. And I thank you for taking time out of your day to read this letter. God bless you.

Ms. Hughes received the letter from the prosecutor’s office and is considering writing back. I hope that she decides to do so. Here is what Ms. Hughes had to say about her experience:

Hughes says that she did feel traumatized after the incident but that she welcomed the letter anyway. “I think it’s such a nice completion to the story,” she says. “That doesn’t happen very often.”