Syracuse should stay the course on dealing with school suspensions (Commentary)
May 12, 2014
Data show that suspension is not in our best interest Over 20 percent of SCSD students in the last three high school cohorts were suspended. Black, Latino, and Native American students as well as students with disabilities are suspended at much higher rates than their peers. There is a strong...
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Surrey criminals to clean war memorials as part of community sentences
May 9, 2014
The work will be conducted by those the courts have handed community sentences or community ‘payback’ to. Young people will also conduct the work, as part of the Surrey Youth Restorative Justice Programme. The project is a partnership between the Surrey and Sussex Probation...
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Restorative justice sees number of Wigan youths entering criminal justice system drop 82%
May 8, 2014
The figures show that 94 young people entered the criminal justice system for the first time over the last year, and 140 victims were offered the opportunity to meet their attackers and engage in a restorative intervention. Stuart Wrudd, Chief Inspector for Greater Manchester Police, said:...
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Not the only one serving time
May 4, 2014
It’s a statement I’ve heard many times from clients as they process through the many ways in which their crimes have impacted the lives of others. Interestingly, the punishment exacted by the criminal justice system plays a major part in this narrative of how the children are...
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Baraza justice: A case study of community led conflict resolution in D.R. Congo
May 3, 2014
The use of peace courts in peacebuilding is not new and can be found in some form in many peacebuilding projects around the world, but it is often difficult to show the scale of its impact. What our evaluation shows is that peace courts are an important entry point for the international...
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Restorative justice scheme helps settle more than 90 neighbourhood disputes
May 3, 2014
Since the project was introduced in the city in May 2012, 94 referrals have been made, with 90 per cent of the victims taking part in the process satisfied with the outcome. Types of cases referred to the Panel have included neighbour disputes, assault, kerb crawling and criminal damage....
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‘US Should significantly reduce rate of incarceration,’ says new report
May 2, 2014
A comprehensive review of data led the committee that wrote the report to conclude that the costs of the current rate of incarceration outweigh the benefits. The committee recommended that federal and state policymakers re-examine policies requiring mandatory and long sentences, as well as...
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Psychology class hopes to implement Restorative Justice
May 1, 2014
Restorative Justice can be defined as a community based approach on how to deal with crime, the effects of crime and the prevention of crime. The approach is something that functions on the belief that the path to justice relies on problem solving and healing rather than punishment and...
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Restorative justice returns goodness
April 30, 2014
With a wealth of experience in social work and from taking part in the pilot Restorative Justice programme with Mana Social Services in Rotorua, co-ordinator Lynne Whata helped launch the service in Wairarapa and said it was highly successful locally. Two staff members facilitate a meeting...
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Close to Home: Zero tolerance or restorative justice?
April 29, 2014
According to Attorney General Eric Holder, “the problem with a zero-tolerance philosophy is that it often stems from well-intentioned zero-tolerance policies that too often injected the criminal justice system into the resolution of problems.†Police have become a more common...
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Restorative justice helps communities in Darlington come together, according to volunteer Rosie Dixon
April 28, 2014
By acting as mediators between feuding neighbours or relatives, volunteers are helping to prevent disputes escalating to a criminal level, says Miss Dixon. Encouraging more people to get involved and volunteer with the scheme, she said: “Volunteering lets you give something back to the...
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Jill Schellenberg: Justice must serve victims
April 24, 2014
The focus is on punishment and retribution, assuming this deters future crimes. The needs of victims and their families — physical recovery, emotional healing, material restitution, rebuilding their lives and moving on — can come across as secondary concerns. As a professor...
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The simple matter of saying sorry: Language skills and restorative conferencing
April 23, 2014
It is notable too, that the principles of restorative conferencing are also finding their way into schools, both primary and secondary, in an effort to equip young people with the skills required to negotiate conflict and interpersonal harm in prosocial and respectful ways. This is...
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The sociological imagination: Restorative justice
April 22, 2014
Having a “war on crime†mentality essentially divides society into two camps distinguished by deviance, defined broadly by sociologists as behavior that is recognized as violating social expectations and norms (e.g., criminal activity). Societal reactions to deviant behavior...
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‘We shook hands… I got upset and started crying. Then Glenn broke down’
April 18, 2014
Shad Ali, from The Arboretum, had campaigned for years for the right to meet his assailant. Eventually he wrote and asked if he could visit. “I got a six-page letter in reply, in bright red ink,” he said. “It was incredibly emotional, full of remorse and asking for...
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