Fairness, justice and restoring lives

from the article by Steven Teske on Juvenile Justice Information Exchange:

During a hot summer day, daycare workers removed children from a van, except one — Jazzmin Green. She was two years old. Sixteen-year-old Miesha Ridley was responsible for checking off the names of the children as they were removed. There was a mark next to Jazzmin’s name. An hour passed before anyone noticed she was missing. They found her in the van unconscious — still strapped to her car seat. She died from the heat. Miesha and two adult workers were arrested.

Miesha admitted to voluntary manslaughter — it was time for disposition. Jazzmin’s parents made it clear that anything other than prison for Miesha would be “unfair.” They just buried their child and the pain was eating at them. During the hearing, Mr. Green shared these feelings of unfairness and asked that “justice” be done.

Nov 06, 2012 Story, Theory, Region: North America and Caribbean, Conceptual, Case:Homicide, Country:USA

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A contradiction and an alliance among restorative justice theories, feminism and Confucianism: From Taiwan's experience

from the paper by Hsiao-Sen Huang:

This paper aims to discuss a theoretical contradiction and to explore a possible alliance among restorative justice theories, feminism and Confucianism, with a focus on restorative justice practice in family violence cases. In addition to drawing on literature, this paper will undertake qualitative analyses on the interviews with six facilitators in Taiwan Restorative Justice Pilot. 

Jun 12, 2012 Limitations, Country:Taiwan, Theory, Region: North America and Caribbean, Conceptual

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An apology is not good enough and neither is a conviction

from the independent review of the 2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup Playoffs riot:

Accountability is most powerful when an individual fully understands the effects of their actions on other people and not just the impersonal state.

Some did as soon as they woke up the next day, bewildered and remorseful. Bold acts that drew cheers on the 15th were inexplicable and humiliating on the 16th. Even many of those who felt no remorse felt the lash of global village justice in all its forms.

Remorse, no matter how sincere, is not enough. We had a deal: we respected them and they respected us. They broke that deal on June 15 (albeit impulsively in many cases) and a price must be paid. There are strong and widespread views that the criminal justice system is not up to the task because it is too slow and too weak. But another, more apt reason is that it is too impersonal. A guilty plea and imposition of a fine teaches nothing of the harm that’s been done.

Sep 13, 2011 Theory, Conceptual, Potential, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:Canada, Politics

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