Back to RJ Archive

Restorative Justice Conferencing: The key for victims is in one question.

August 1, 2010

The prepared questions I use are pretty standard.  I use the IIRP cards.  The question that gets to the heart of it is “what has been the hardest thing for you”.  I love how personalized this is.

I’ve heard beauty is in the eye of the behold and that harm is in the eye of the beholder.  After hundreds of pre-conference meetings and conference sessions I see this question really turn things for a conference.  The victim gets to express their deepest concerns.  They get to relate the crime in the manner that impacts them.

….We know our weakest moments.  I believe we ‘bookmark’ them mentally for survival.  Victims know what is the hardest part, because it is likely the memory or the piece that continues to haunt them and linger around.  The more serious the harm, certainly the deeper and more layers of what is hardest.

Read the whole entry.

Tags:

Blog PostCourtsPost-Conflict ReconciliationPrisonsRestorative PracticesRJ and the WorkplaceRJ in SchoolsRJ OfficeStatutes and LegislationTeachers and StudentsVictim Support
Support the cause

We've Been Restoring Justice for More Than 40 Years

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