Alternative road for victims of sex crime
December 26, 2013
“Everyone came with their partners and the like. My father opened by confronting my uncle about the abuse – by then a lot of other victims in the family had spoken up – and everyone was horrified,” Paula says. “My uncle kept saying he was sorry, so sorry. And even...
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Trench democracy in criminal justice: An interview with Lauren Abramson
December 25, 2013
AD: When forty-four people gather together do you have certain expectations for participation? LA: Well, transparency is a principle behind what we do. People always know what they are coming into. And they know, first of all, that this is a meeting for people who are interested in trying to...
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Seeing the hidden
December 24, 2013
I thought about this again when I read a news story about the father of a murder suspect offering an apology to the parents of the victim. While the article shows concern for the loss the victim’s parents have suffered, it highlights the loss that parents of offenders face as their...
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The Whos down in Whoville and restorative justice
December 18, 2013
The story begins when the Grinch steals holiday trappings from the Whos down in Whoville in an attempt to thwart Christmas. He soon learns that the Whos are undaunted by the loss of gifts, decorations and food. The Grinch waited to hear the boo-hoos of the Whos, but instead, he heard something...
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Restorative classroom practice
December 18, 2013
We have noticed that if a school thinks of a restorative approach as an occasional bolt-on, or as a last resort when authoritarian or punitive responses have not worked, then very little change will be seen, either in individuals’ behaviour or across the school community. The key...
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Juvenile crime rises after Newman government cuts rehab program
December 18, 2013
More than 1500 juveniles went through the program during the last six months of 2012, with offenders and their families meeting with victims and a police officer. It had a 99 per cent satisfaction rate, according to the children’s court annual report. Judge Shanahan said the reason for...
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Chance to talk with offender a big help
December 17, 2013
Restorative Justice is a programme in which victims and offenders meet to discuss the offence, its repercussions and how to make amends. “We were very apprehensive about it,” said Mrs Hanson. “As a matter of fact we found it a very, very healing process and it enabled us to...
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Restorative discipline program in San Antonio middle school reduces student suspensions
December 17, 2013
Restorative discipline is a prevention-oriented approach that fosters consensus-based decisions to resolve school conflict such as bullying, truancy and disruptive behavior. Sixth-grade teachers at Edward H. White Middle School in San Antonio’s North East Independent School...
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Melbourne’s legal fraternity considers restorative justice for sex assault victims
December 16, 2013
The controversial idea would involve allowing victims of certain sex crimes – such as historic offences or incest – to meet their offenders in a controlled setting, ask for an explanation and gain an apology or some other form of reparation. Known as ”restorative...
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A step forward: Women to be part of first reconciliatory jirga
December 15, 2013
“Appointing a woman as a member of the ADR forum will empower women and set an example for others,†said Roghani. “If the women of the jirga are educated professionals, they will be able to convince the men too.†The proposed jirga will be responsible for solving civil...
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New Peacemaking Court will help ease relationship conflicts
December 10, 2013
The Peacemaking Court will use Native American principles for resolving disputes, using values Connors refers to as the four Rs: respect, responsibility, relationship, and redirection. The concept has been around for many years in Native American cultures as well as courts in England and New...
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Bronx schools reduce policing and suspensions with support from parents
December 10, 2013
The Bronx School Justice coalition was borne following a series of public mobilizations in the South Bronx last year protesting the high rates of Bronx school arrests, summonses, and suspensions. The New Settlement Parent Action Committee coordinated these public actions in conjunction with...
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Funding for Restorative Justice, 6 tips and suggestions, from a decade old RJ program
December 9, 2013
The 3 ways of income are 1)fee for service/contract 2)grants and 3)donations/public support. It can be challenging to compete for grant dollars these days, cuts in government funding has created more competition for grants. Raising credibility so that programs are required and fee...
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Confronting exclusion: Time for radical reconciliation
December 6, 2013
Chapter one introduces the topic conceptually, demonstrating the need for us to engage with the relationship between reconciliation and economic exclusion under the adapted concept of radical reconciliation. Chapter two outlines the conceptual background and methodology of the SARB survey. The...
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