Accountability closer to home
by Susan Sharpe
Last Thanksgiving weekend, I opened a Wikipedia page and saw a banner asking me to help pay for the service I was about to use. I gulped. They’d hooked me. Having turned to Wikipedia many, many times, I finally anted up and sent a contribution to help pay for what I've been using.
I've never seen such a banner on RJ Online. Here, there is just a box that says, "RJ Online is a free service to anyone interested in the topic. If you find the site useful and are able to do so, please consider making a tax-deductible (US) donation to PFI."
Feb 03, 2012 RJ Online
Martin Luther King and life after hate
from the entry by Evelyn Zellerer on Peace of the Circle:
....“The nonviolent approach does not immediately change the heart of the oppressor. It first does something to the hearts and souls of those committed to it. It gives them new self-respect; it calls up resources of strength and courage that they did not know they had. Finally it reaches the opponent and so stirs his conscience that reconciliation becomes a reality.” [Martin Luther King]
Feb 02, 2012 Policy, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA, Case:Hate Crime
Review: A community-based approach to the reduction of sexual re-offending: circles of support and accountability
Often sex offenders are isolated people who have difficulty making relationships, and when they come out of prison the double stigma of prison and the nature of their offence isolates them still more – an extra hardship for them, and an increased risk that they will revert to their previous behaviour. So the idea of forming a circle of support for them is both humane and a safeguard. It does not fall under the usual definition of restorative justice, because it does not include dialogue with the victim, which would in many cases be unwanted and/or inappropriate. It does however restore or even improve the situation of the offender, and it involves members of the community.
Feb 01, 2012 Case:Abuse, Country:England&Wales, Book Review, Practice, Correspondent:Martin Wright, Region: Europe, Case:Sexual, Policy, Circle
How restorative justice can empower victims in serious crimes - two cases of rape
from the post by Jonathan Bartley in Ekklesia:
A frequently repeated myth about restorative justice is that it can’t work for “serious” or “violent crimes”. As restorative practices become more widely available however, this myth is being busted. Its role in shifting the power imbalance around crime towards the victim is becoming increasingly apparent. Its ability to help victims overcome the fear of crime and move on, in a way that more punitive practices often don't, is also being appreciated. Two examples that have been cited recently involve cases of rape.
Jan 31, 2012 Case:Violence, Case:Sexual
Young vandals ordered to put Somerset factory damage right
from the article in the Western Gazette:
A gang of youths who broke into a Castle Cary factory have been ordered to make amends by washing site windows and picking up rubbish by a restorative justice panel.
A three-month police campaign which tracked down 14 children involved with causing £1,000 of damage to the Torbay Road factory ended last month.
Jan 30, 2012 Juvenile, Case:Burglary, Country:England&Wales, Practice, Region: Europe
Editorial: Losing tolerance over zero-tolerance policies
from the Denver Post:
Few events have shaped school discipline policies the way the 1999 Columbine High School massacre has — not just in Colorado but around the nation.
Zero tolerance became a catchphrase for "doing-everything-possible-to-make-sure-this-never-happens-again."
Jan 27, 2012 Policy, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA
Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission adopts a restorative justice approach to human rights disputes
from the article by Michael Darcy for Canadian Civil Libertise Association Rights Watch:
The Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission has changed its procedure for resolving human rights disputes. As of January 1, 2012, the NS HRC has adopted a restorative justice approach that emphasizes the need to reconcile the relationship between complainants and respondents,while reducing the time it takes to resolve a dispute (which the commission notes could have taken up to two years before the recent amendments).
Jan 26, 2012 Country:Canada, Human Rights, Region: North America and Caribbean
Stalking accused trying to abuse system
from Ian Steward's article on Stuff.co.nz:
A man described by police as "New Zealand's most dangerous stalker" has requested a restorative justice session with his latest alleged victim, though a judge has rejected it as a transparent attempt to "keep in touch".
Jan 25, 2012 Limitations, Country:New Zealand, Region: Pacific, Theory
Building a Worldwide Restorative Practices Learning Network
The 15th World Conference of the International Institute for Restorative Practices will explore the concept of Building a Worldwide Restorative Practices Learning Network. The call for presenters to lead 50-minute breakout sessions is open until 29 February 2012.
Jan 25, 2012 Event
Controversies around restorative justice
from David Belden's article in Tikkun:
....Restorative justice may be poised for a breakthrough into public awareness. It would be a boon for budget-cutting politicians and taxpayers if only the public could buy into it. For example, in the San Francisco Bay Area it costs around $50,000 to run a juvenile offender through the justice system, not counting the cost of incarceration if there is to be any, versus about $4,500 for a restorative process that typically leaves the victim much more satisfied, the young person reintegrated into the community without even being charged with a crime and much less likely to reoffend, and many community members relieved and grateful. Multiply the criminal justice cost many times for adults locked away for years.
Jan 24, 2012 Retribution, Theory, Support, Policy, Politics
