Building Support for Restorative Justice

Strategies for capturing community support for restorative initiatives.

Restorative justice gets boost with new spending

from the article on Radio New Zealand News: The Government is to spend more on restorative justice conferences: $4 million of new spending over two years has been earmarked in the Budget. The Government at present funds about 2000 restorative justice conferences each year at a cost of about $2.1 million.

Carolyn Shadle on Controversies around restorative justice

Thank you for bringing Restorative Justice to light. You may be interested in this adult curriculum which enables small study groups to learn about R.J. [...]

More meditations on restorative justice

from the entry by kario on The Writing Life: ….It wasn't until I saw my molester as a human being that I began to heal my own profound wounds. I spent years in therapy, took lots of different anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants, started yoga, and came to a better place, but the REAL freedom from pain came when I forgave him. Not in person (I don't honestly even know if he is alive today), but in my heart. That doesn't mean that I don't still feel the impact of his behavior in my life and it doesn't mean I would have the courage to meet him face-to-face if I had the opportunity, although I hope I would. It means that I acknowledge that he made a big mistake and, as a human being, he was entitled to do that. It doesn't mean that he is absolved of any wrongdoing, especially since I suspect he molested lots of other children as well, but it means that I don't feel as though I can pass judgment on him and his life. I certainly don't believe he deserves to be killed for his actions, although I did for many, many years.

Youth Justice Conferences versus Children’s Court: A comparison of cost-effectiveness

from the article by Andrew Webber in Crime and Justice Bulletin: Aim: To compare the cost-effectiveness of Youth Justice Conferences (YJCs) to matters eligible for YJCs but dealt with in the Children’s Court. Method: The costs for Police, Legal Aid, Children’s Court, Juvenile Justice YJC administration and Juvenile Justice administration of court orders were separately estimated using a combination of top-down and bottom-up costing methods. These were combined with data from matched samples of young people who were to be dealt with by a YJC and young people who could have been dealt with by a YJC but instead were dealt with in the Children’s Court in 2007 in order to estimate average costs per person for each process.

Legislation introducing restorative justice for victims of adult offenders in England and Wales announced

from Lizzie Nelson: New legislation for restorative justice with adult offenders and their victims will be introduced through an amendment to the Crime and Courts Bill. The new clauses will allow the Courts to defer at the pre-sentence stage in order for the victim and offender to be offered restorative justice at the earliest opportunity. This comes as part of the Government’s response to the Punishment and Reform; effective community sentences consultation, published today.

Isle of Man criminal justice system 'to reach 21st Century'

from the article on BBC News: Home Affairs Minister Juan Watterson said "languishing in prison cells" was not a good way for inmates to "pay their debt to society". ....One of the key areas under scrutiny is dealing with offenders after they have served their jail term. "We already have community service but we could do more things around restorative justice, actually putting back what you have done wrong rather than low level beach cleans for example, which is what we have now," continued Mr Watterson.

Center for Restorative Activism

from the "Principles" page of Scott Brown's website: Here are some basic principles that help to frame what restorative activism is about: The historical moment calls on us to identify and focus on root causes. I believe the historical moment boils down to a choice between continuation with the life-denying worldview based on separateness, and a life affirming worldview based on the direct experience of interrelatedness. The belief in separateness can be singled out as a root cause of the crises we face and this shows us what we are really up against.

Restorative justice is the law

by Dan Van Ness Heartspeak Productions is a remarkable Canadian group that describes itself as "on a continual quest to learn about & share the principles and best practices of restorative justice." It does this by creating excellent videos exploring dimensions of restoration. Fraser Community Justice Initiatives Association is a community NGO also in Canada that for 25 years has developed programs and training that help people in conflict find good resolutions.

Former Norwich police chief to lead Bangladeshi delegation in lessons on restorative justice

from the article by Peter Walsh in the Norwich Evening News: A former Norwich police chief will show a high-powered delegation from Bangladesh how restorative justice can be used to help cut crime without people having to be locked up. ....He said: “I’m part of a programme looking to reduce the overcrowded prisons in Bangladesh. One of their biggest problems is the inefficiency of their criminal justice system. It can take up to eight years for something to come to trial and the likelihood is defendants will spend most of their time remanded in custody. It will be their second visit to Norfolk to look at restorative justice and its something they’re really keen on.”

Marin grand jury calls for more alternative justice programs

from the article by Gary Klien in the Marin Independent Journal: The Marin County Civil Grand Jury is calling for broader use of "restorative justice," a law enforcement philosophy that emphasizes reconciliation over punitive retribution. In a new report, "Restorative Justice: Its Time Has Come in Marin County," the grand jury acknowledged that the practice strikes some as "soft on crime."

Christina

I’m sorry for your pain Christina, may you find strength to overcome.

Testifying before legislators

Frightening as the prospect may be, I concur wholeheartedly with your assertion of the importance of testifying before policymakers. I know that you speak from [...]

training

I am looking at implementing restorative justice into a secure juvenile detention facility as part of our programming. And i am wondering if there is [...]

RJ TRaining

Dear Emily, There are different options for training based on where you are located. Contacting a local agency may help locating training. For example, you [...]

Restorative justice formal training

I am currently visiting prison through church, I have passion to reach out to youth and women. where do I go for formal training, what [...]

employment

I would like to work with RJ. I am currently a Pre-Release teacher at Central Mi Correctional Facility

Let’s make restorative justice a reality in 2012

from the article by Robert Buckland MP in TRG Egremont: Having worked for many years in the criminal justice system, prosecuting and defending in criminal cases, I am acutely aware that the trial process does not - and cannot - address the problems faced by victims of crime. Since my election to Parliament in 2010, I have taken an increasing interest in restorative justice and how it can play a bigger role in the criminal justice system in the UK. Restorative justice can help turn lives around for the offenders and aid the healing process among victims of crime.

Controversies Around Restorative Justice

As a long-standing proponent of Restorative Justice and a long-term employee in the criminal justice field, I think media and elections will play a big [...]

Controversies around restorative justice

from David Belden's article in Tikkun: Restorative justice may be poised for a breakthrough into public awareness. It would be a boon for budget-cutting politicians and taxpayers if only the public could buy into it. For example, in the San Francisco Bay Area it costs around $50,000 to run a juvenile offender through the justice system, not counting the cost of incarceration if there is to be any, versus about $4,500 for a restorative process that typically leaves the victim much more satisfied, the young person reintegrated into the community without even being charged with a crime and much less likely to reoffend, and many community members relieved and grateful. Multiply the criminal justice cost many times for adults locked away for years.

Was my father a monster ???

 My father Robert Power, whom I have only exchanged about 10-15 letters with since I found out who the man that I spent my whole [...]