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The story of a wounded healer
From the article by Jackie Katounas in Issue 79 of the Rethinking Crime and Punishment Newsletter:
For the best part of 25 years I was a career criminal, and often a prisoner - with little insight into the effects of my offending and limited respect for myself or others.
I am not an academic and I have had limited tertiary education. Instead my training and credibility has grown out of the harshness of my own life experiences.
Sep 29, 2010 Country:New Zealand, Region: Pacific, Story, Offender
Restorative justice is not just saying 'Sorry'
Martin Wright's letter to the editor that didn't get published:
Mark Johnson’s critique gives a chance to correct some common misconceptions about restorative justice (‘Apologising to victims will not reduce reoffending rates’, SocietyGuardian, 18 August). It is not about dragging offenders to see their victims, telling them to say “sorry”, nor making them do menial tasks wearing conspicuous clothing. It does not humiliate offenders (provided it is done properly, of course); they are enabled to show that they can do something useful and be valued for it.
It lets victims explain, and offenders understand, the damaging effects of their actions (and in some cases, such as fights, both have been at fault in some ways). Both are asked questions like ‘What happened?’ ‘Who was affected?’ ‘What do you think and feel about it?’ and ‘What needs to be done to make things better?’ Victims often ask for an apology and/or reparation, but what most of them want is answers to questions and action to make a repeat less likely. This could mean that the offender makes reparation by co-operating with whatever support he or she needs, programmes such as anger management, drug treatment or vocational skills.
Sep 13, 2010 Country:England&Wales, Apology, Offender, Correspondent:Martin Wright, Region: Europe
