I’m not into remorse

by Lynette Parker

Lots of people will ask me about offenders feeling remorse when they go through a restorative conference. Trainee facilitators will ask whether or not I thought a client showed remorse during a pre-conference. People curious about the process will ask if those who have committed crime actually show remorse. The most difficult conversations occur when I talk to a victim of crime about participating. They may ask if the offender has shown remorse in my meetings with him/her. 

Nov 27, 2012 Limitations, Theory, Support, Practice, Distinguishing, Conceptual, Correspondent:Lynette Parker

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Justice? What about understanding?

by Lynette Parker

Scrolling through RSS feeds I saw a link for, “After driving on sidewalk to pass school bus, woman must wear ‘idiot’ sign.” I admit clicking the link to see what it was about. The first line quotes someone as declaring, “Justice has been served!” before going into how a woman had driven on a sidewalk to get around a parked school bus with children on it. The penalty was to stand near the scene of the incident wearing a sign that says, “Only an idiot would drive on the sidewalk to avoid the school bus.” She will also pay a $250 fine. 

Nov 20, 2012 Human Rights, Limitations, Retribution, Theory, Support, Practice, Correspondent:Lynette Parker

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Restorative justice and coercion

by Lynette Parker:

Recently, I had a brief Twitter conversation with HMP_Chaplain about restorative justice and coercion. HMP_Chaplain commented on a statement by a Sycamore Tree Project facilitator in England and Wales that “if they make RJ compulsory she will pull out." I responded in a couple of Tweets:

“Can understand...voluntariness is essential in RJ. Coercion can stand in the way of dialogue but doesn’t have to.”

“Also RJ is more than a process its a way of thinking that can inform all interactions with offenders.”

Jan 06, 2012 Limitations, Theory, Support, Practice, Conceptual, Correspondent:Lynette Parker

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