More cautionary tales from the US
July 25, 2009
140,610 individuals are serving life sentences, representing one of every 11 people (9.5%) in prison. Twenty-nine percent (41,095) of the individuals serving life sentences have no possibility of parole. The number of individuals serving life without parole sentences increased by 22% from...
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NZ Catholic Bishops call for reconciliation, not revenge, in prisons
July 25, 2009
Our respect for human dignity means that every person has a right to feel safe in the community. But this same respect for human dignity also means that every prisoner has a right to safety. The basis of our society’s right to punish those who abuse the human rights of others, is also...
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Restorative justice and stories
July 23, 2009
I picked up A New Earth – Eckhart Tolle . I wasn’t very far into it and I flagged something to blog about. He mentions that you cannot “force†someone to be good, you have to direct them to the good already inside of them. Then...
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Defendants in Samoan adoption case must pay $100,000 to trust fund
July 23, 2009
A 2007 indictment accused the five of tricking Samoan parents into giving up their children to the Wellsville-based group for adoption. Prosecutors alleged relatives or friends in Samoa pushed the adoptions as a program that would educate children in the United States and return them at age...
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Why I don’t support hate crime legislation
July 23, 2009
Earlier in the entry Jos writes: It is important to recognize violence motivated by bigotry, and difficult to see alternatives to hate crime convictions as a means to this end. A sense of justice for the family and friends of people who have been killed because of their sexuality or gender...
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Theory of trouble
July 22, 2009
The quote is part of Restorative Resources’ introduction to what they call a Theory of Trouble. The point of the theory is that we grow most by making mistakes and learning from them. Typically, we try to learn on our own, and the lesson is often how to stay out of trouble without...
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Limiting DNA testing and denying justice to victims
July 22, 2009
When I became more aware of wrongful convictions I was urged to read a book called “Surviving Justice, America’s Wrongfully Convicted and Exonerated” – edited by Lola Vollen and Dave Eggers. If you think that wrongful convictions only happen to those who are of the...
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Seminar Report: Restorative Justice — Restorative Practices: Are They the Same?
July 22, 2009
Martin Wright, who made the original request, offered an overview titled, “Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice.” He explored the various forms that the concepts of “restorative” and “justice” can take. He argued for a focus on the overarching...
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Crowded prisons endanger workers, union says
July 22, 2009
“Systemwide, the BOP was operating at 37 percent over its total rated capacity” as of July 2, the bureau’s director, Harley G. Lappin, told the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime, terrorism and homeland security. But high-security facilities, where the most violent...
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Short thoughts on justice
July 19, 2009
And we’ve all played into the system, largely excluding opportunities for us to love and to sacrifice and to be kind and to forgive. We’re taught to pass off our problems to someone else, to the “professionals.” We are brought up to avoid them, to ignore them. And once...
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New graphic novel on restorative practices in school
July 19, 2009
I put it together because our kids need help. There has been a shift in what our population of parents teaches their kids and in what they expect schools to teach. Not all schools have been able to keep up with this demand and therefore, Bully, is created to be a tool for educators. I...
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Personality and restorative justice
July 19, 2009
Whether in the justice system, schools, or other communities, personality will alter the paths of lives. Those who know how to build relationships in all different settings with different people will be the most successful. A restorative mindset will help more people learn how to build,...
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Footpaths to pathways
July 19, 2009
The practical aspects of the ‘Certificate 1 in Building and Construction’ involve site preparation, layout, formwork and concreting for a footpath and a ‘pathway’ to an apprenticeship or a career as a builder’s labourer. Each year Council allocates $1M a year...
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How restorative is Rwanda’s justice?
July 19, 2009
Gacaca, literally “on the grass,†is a restorative system which allows perpetrators responsible for crimes including isolated murder and destruction of property during the genocide to decrease their prison sentences if they plead guilty, apologize, and agree to supplement their...
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