Power of One: Restorative justice couples victims with offenders

from the article on CTV.ca:

....A woman named Marité has been taking part in the process, not by facing her sexually-abusive father, but rather, another man who committed similar acts.

She said that results have helped her cope with the damage she suffered.

"For him it was like I was his daughter," said Marité. "And I was able also to express my anger to him and that's what he wanted rather than silence from his daughter."

"I can now go forward because I'm not bound to my father anymore. I can leave him go."

Jun 26, 2012 Story, Case:Burglary, Victim, Mediation, Policy, Other, Region: North America and Caribbean, Case:Sexual, Country:Canada

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For prisoners, hope and help behind bars and beyond

from the article by Dean Bucalos in the Courier Journal:

What has been missing in the panoply of services provided to ex-offenders is grassroots, community involvement. When people are released from prison, they have the promise of often questionable and impermanent housing. Most have no money or the security of employment. Often, they return to environments that were partially responsible for leading them to make poor choices and commit crimes.

Having faced this reality, those involved with our prison congregation have answered Russell’s question posed by Leonard Pitts, “What are we going to do to help him when he gets out?”

Jun 18, 2012 Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA, Community, Offender

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I want justice for conflict victims in Kenya

from the article by Tecla Namachnija in Eve Woman Magazine:

My experiences with people who had suffered as a result of conflict motivated me to go for the TJRC job. The conditions they faced were so harsh that I suffered secondary trauma at some point because I internalised the pain and suffering of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees I interacted with.

Having trained in restorative justice in the US and through my experience at the community level, I realised that the line between the victim and perpetrator is so blurred that only restorative justice could work.

Jun 15, 2012 Limitations, Country:Kenya, National Reconciliation, Support, Practice, Region: North America and Caribbean

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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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D.A. candidate Jackie Lacey looks to move up

from the article by Robert Greene in the Los Angeles Times:

....California faces a sweeping revamp of the way it delivers and administers criminal justice. Under the policy change known as realignment, counties must take on the task of incarcerating and supervising many felons who formerly went to state prison. The next district attorney of Los Angeles County will play a lead role in developing and articulating policies that will determine whether smart, cost-effective alternative sentencing practices lead to rehabilitation — or instead to dangerous criminals being released, unsupervised, into the community. 

Jun 06, 2012 Region: North America and Caribbean, Court, Prosecutor, Country:USA

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A second chance at Curt's Cafe

from the article by Susan Du in The Daily Northwestern:

Curt’s Cafe, 2922 Central St., is an unlikely crossroads for the two: Trieschmann hires at-risk young adults, particularly those with criminal records, providing them with hard-to-find job training and work experience. The non-profit restaurant is one of the only adult ex-offender re-entry programs in a city that focuses most of its re-entry resources on at-risk youths.

Trieschmann said the road to opening the experimental business was far from smooth, with some neighbors concerned about the business drawing former criminals to Central Street. Still, it’s an experiment that restorative justice advocates and even Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl said is worth a shot.

Jun 05, 2012 Offender, Reentry, Community, Region: North America and Caribbean, Prison, Country:USA, Restitution

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The moral question

from the article by Kent Spencer in The Province:

....Elliott proposes a comparatively low-tech, low-cost method for dealing with the vast majority of offenders. It involves public apologies and community service in a concept known as restorative justice - meaning literally to restore the community to what it was.

He has offered to bring confessed wrongdoers to a place where they can meet with people who suffered trauma at the hands of roving thugs.

Jun 04, 2012 Policy, Country:Canada, Case:Livability Crimes, Case:Violence, Region: North America and Caribbean

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