Source: (2004) ABA Journal. 91(11):84.
It’s probably safe to say that most people would re-coil at the suggestion that they spend time with hardened criminals and the families of their victims. Not Janine Geske. A former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, she opted after five years on the high court bench to pursue her true passion: restorative justice, with its capacity for bringing healing to victims of crime–and often to offenders as well. The term “restorative justice,” or RJ, describes a number of processes that focus on repairing the harm caused by crime. It has a forward-looking orientation that eschews looking at punishment in isolation of both victim and community needs. One facet of RJ is the bringing together of victims and offenders for a dialogue that fosters the emotional healing process.The simple fact is, RJ works. Even some big-city district attorneys have started incorporating it into their work. Today, it is being used in some way in every state in the U.S., as well as in jurisdictions around the world, inch, ding South America, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom (excerpt).
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now