Party’s over for bonfire vandals
September 26, 2009
The initiative gives the victims of crime a say on how an offender is dealt with. In this case, the teenagers, who were aged between 17 and 20, all agreed to return to the site last month to spend a day working with the National Trust. Pc Andy Crosthwaite, from Chapel-en-le-Frith police, said:...
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Restorative justice urged to deal with sexual crimes
September 26, 2009
….Ms Lewis said the criminal justice system was not suitable for addressing most sexual crimes. Many victims of abuse within the family did not want to engage with the system and did not want their father, brother or uncle to end up in jail. “What they want is to make sure no other...
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Thinking Aloud programme on restorative justice in Northern Ireland
September 26, 2009
The portion of the broadcast dealing with restorative justice lasts from approximately 1:30 into the programme to...
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Go to prison
September 26, 2009
…. When we return, it is time to go around the circle and hear from the men. The statements are amazing – as Janine tells me, many of these men will never be released from prison. Their statements do not go to the parole board, and they often wouldn’t help...
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No more taking sides
September 26, 2009
Speaking of Faith is a National Public Radio series in the US. The link is to a page with an audio recording of the 53 minute broadcast plus other features, including an uncut video showing the two-hour interview as well as short clips of both people. The programme aired on 14 February 2008....
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Let’s talk about global exploitation
September 26, 2009
….The SAGE Project is unique in that it fosters collaboration among law enforcement, public health, social services, and private agencies. Within this collaborative environment, its approaches are solution-focused in the areas of prevention, protection, and restorative justice as a...
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Putting a face to a crime
September 24, 2009
I recently wrote on graffiti vandalism in Los Angeles and how restorative justice could be applied to this problem. What I didn’t know at the time was that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill here in California related to this problem in 2008. That bill, authored by Assemblyman...
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Why restorative justice?
September 22, 2009
Despite their different situations, both Burundi and Uganda are at critical crossroads on their path to rebuilding the country post-conflict. With the last rebel group putting down its arms in Burundi and the return of former abductees and displaced persons back to their villages in Uganda, in...
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Healing through victim offender mediation
September 22, 2009
During the mediation, David learned that the items he and his friend took were of sentimental value to the family. The watch belonged to the homeowner’s grandmother, and neither it, nor the coin collection, were recovered. More importantly, David learned about...
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Dignity in schools: an unexcused absence
September 22, 2009
….The July 2009 press conference started out with a tour of the “school of our dreams†in which metal detectors are replaced with mood detectors (people). There is a “chill-out zone.†(“If teachers get lounges, we should too.â€) Sounds of running water,...
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In the living room with the lion and the lamb
September 22, 2009
As they recounted their experiences and asked each other the tough questions, I saw understanding grow as both discovered a landscape not marked by history and fear. Karen was able to see a picture of remorse in Wayne. He was able to see the horrible impact that another had...
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Book Review: The penal crisis and the Clapham Omnibus: Questions and answers in restorative justice.
September 22, 2009
The first section is devoted to issues of principle. Why is there a crisis? It is hard to provide a constructive regime in overcrowded prisons, clogged up by short sentences for minor offenders which make re-offending more likely, and unnecessarily long ones. Cornwell...
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Restorative justice improves livability in Minneapolis
September 21, 2009
Fortunately, for those of us who live in neighborhoods in Minneapolis, Restorative Justice Community Action had already figured part of the solution out. Restorative Justice Community Action (RJCA) recognized, much sooner than I did, that the courts are overwhelmed with cases and that some of...
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Can murder ever be forgiven: A restorative justice case study
September 17, 2009
Tanya still held memories of that day. She remembered her uncle, Marlon, arriving at the flat, and that for some reason he had not been allowed in. Her next memory was of her uncle breaking into the flat and a violent confrontation, culminating with her mother being stabbed as she sought to...
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