Source: (1993) In: L. Atkinson and S.-A. Gerull (eds.), National Conference on Juvenile Justice. Conference Proceedings No. 22, Canberra, AUS: Australian Institute of Criminology, pp.35-42.
Braithwaite argues there has been a modest shift in Australia and New Zealand from an oppressive criminal justice system to a more republican engagement of citizens in the criminal justice process. Conferencing is a key element in this ideological shift. Victims and offenders, with their various supporters, meet with a conference facilitator to discuss the offense and how best to resolve the problem. This promotes reintegration and discourages stigmatic forms of shaming. Such a criminal justice procedure can signify that the community takes crime seriously, without the harm that characterizes the alternative rituals of courtroom trials, formal punishment and incarceration.
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.
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