Another school shooting — and what we can do about it

from the article by Matthew Albracht on Huffington Post:

Once again, a school shooting has killed young adults in America. This time at the Umpqua Community College in Oregon. This is the 45th school shooting this year in America. It’s the 142nd school shooting since the Newtown massacre in 2012.

It does indeed feel there is a gaping hole in our nation’s soul as these school shootings are only increasing in rapidity. It is time we take a serious look at the epidemic of violence in America, and begin to implement real solutions; they are out there….

There are too many people falling through the cracks in our society – who feel isolated and in despair. This can often lead to acts of violence. From gang violence to school shootings, those who feel voiceless and hopeless, who have typically experienced significant untreated trauma, are often the ones who turn to violence as they hit the peak of their anguish.

We must develop social structures and comprehensive strategies that can help bring healing to our communities and build resilience in our society. Can we really afford to wait any longer to do so?

The good news is that there are many effective modalities that are being developed and in fact, in place now all over the country. They are not anywhere near the scale needed, but we know what to do now more than ever. It’s time for our policymakers to catch up. And we all have to be part of championing it to them….

Restorative Justice is an approach to justice that provides an effective process and container for the development of understanding between offenders and victims as well as the wider community. It provides the conditions, guided by victims, for the possibility of healing and restoration. The nature of a restorative process guided by victims’ needs allows for offenders to come to terms with the human cost of their actions and attempts to right the wrong together with all stakeholders.

Read the whole article.