http://www.restorativejustice.org daily 1 2009-06-03T02:46:41Z http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/restorative-justice-the-new-way-forward from Lisa Rea's article in In Baylor University's Christian Refelction issue on Prison: .... Some might argue that our prison system was never meant to positively affect victims and communities. I will not analyze the original purpose of prisons in society, but we know that prisons have become something far different than what they were intended to be. Most societies have incarcerated individuals who were deemed to be a violent threat to others, but the United States prison system today has grown immensely beyond this rationale. As a result, the American state and federal prison population has expanded dramatically. No publisher lisarea Correspondent:Lisa Rea Practice Victim Policy Politics 2012-02-07T00:52:38Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/penn-states-response-to-child-sexual-abuse-what-about-the-victims by Lisa Rea As the story comes out in more detail about the alleged sexual abuse of children by Jerry Sandusky, former assistant football coach at Penn State, the coverage of the story seems to be more about the actions of veteran coach Joe Paterno--his resignation or the university's decision to fire him. No publisher lisarea Victim Correspondent:Lisa Rea Support Case:Violence Region: North America and Caribbean Case:Sexual Country:USA 2011-11-29T22:32:36Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/is-georgia-ready-to-execute-an-innocent-man by Lisa Rea I read the papers this morning online searching for this story about Troy Davis. When I read the news that the Georgia Board of Pardons did not grant clemency and that Davis was set to be executed on Wednesday September 21 I swallowed hard. I had not followed this case closely until recently. My work in the last 19 years has been focused on reforming the justice system through advocating for restorative justice. However, in recent years I have met innocent men who were on death row for crimes they did not commit. They are the lucky ones; they're alive to tell their stories. I have met even more victims of violent crime whose loved ones have been murdered around the United States who are increasingly raising their voices against the death penalty. Many of those same crime victims are strong advocates for restorative justice. No publisher lisarea Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2011-09-20T22:12:12Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/listening-to-crime-victims-north-carolina-restorative-justice-conference by Lisa Rea When crime victims speak about the effect violent crime has had on their lives you have to listen. On June 9th I moderated a crime victims roundtable during the 3rd Annual Restorative Justice Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina coordinated this year by Campbell University Law School. The roundtable called "Listening to Crime Victims: Their Journeys Toward Healing" was sponsored by the Journey of Hope: From Violence to Healing. The four victims of violence who told their stories were Bill Pelke, chair, Journey of Hope: From Violence to Healing (Alaska), Stephen Watt, Stephen Watt Ministries (Wyoming) , Bess Klassen-Landis, musician and teacher (Vermont), and Kim Book, executive director, Victims Voices Heard (Delaware). No matter how many crime victims panels I have moderated the stories are always riveting and often what I hear the victims say is new even when I am familiar with the stories. I learn something new as the victims move along in their lives---their own personal journeys. No publisher dvanness Story Practice Victim Correspondent:Lisa Rea Mediation Other Case:Violence Region: North America and Caribbean Case:Sexual Case:Homicide Forgiveness Country:USA 2011-08-03T02:03:40Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/victims-daughter-meets-ira-bomber-an-interview-with-jo-berry by Lisa Rea On October 12, 1984 an IRA bomb planted by Patrick Magee demolished Brighton’s Grand Hotel in Brighton killing 5 people including Sir Anthony Berry, MP for Southgate and a member of the Thatcher government. The bomb hit on the last day of the conservative party conference held at the hotel. The IRA bomber Magee was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He was released after 14 years under the negotiated Good Friday agreement. The following is an interview Lisa Rea conducted with Jo Berry, daughter of Sir Anthony Berry. She did this interview from her home in Macclesfield UK. Jo Berry chose to meet with Pat Magee in November 2000. Today the two work together on many initiatives including addressing peace conferences, giving workshops in prisons, and speaking at universities. Q. How did the meetings happen? What was the process? Were you, and Pat, adequately prepared to meet? Walk us through what happened. No publisher dvanness National Reconciliation Correspondent:Lisa Rea Support Practice Victim Country:Northern Ireland Region: Europe 2011-08-03T02:07:51Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/an-alarming-supreme-court-ruling-against-an-innocent-man by Lisa Rea It is hard to fathom the actions of the Supreme Court at times. This ruling is one of those times. Read the case of John Thompson, a wrongfully convicted man in New Orleans who spent 14 years on death row for a crime he did not commit. I have written of a case like this previously (i.e. exoneree Greg Wilhoit on Oklahoma's death row) but this case has a different twist. The exoneree was seeking compensation from the District Attorney for the years he spent on death row because a prosecutor who worked for his office hid evidence that would have freed him---a blood test among other things. The Supreme Court ruling (5-4) written by Justice Clarence Thomas states that while there was "misconduct" by the prosecutor (Ginsburg points out there were actually four prosecutors involved), that "did not prove deliberate indifference" by the District Attorney. No publisher dvanness Limitations Potential Prison Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2011-04-05T15:03:36Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/lauras-law-remembering-the-victims-of-violence by Lisa Rea Considering gun related violence and its impact on the victims, I remember the courageous work of Amanda and Nick Wilcox in Northern California in the name of their daughter, Laura. A recent press piece describes what they have done to fight violence since the shooting death of their daughter at the hands of Scott Thorpe on January 10, 2001. No publisher dvanness Correspondent:Lisa Rea Support Practice Case:Violence Victim 2011-02-04T17:21:03Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/guns-restorative-justice-and-violence-prevention by Lisa Rea After reading It's time to inject sanity into the gun debate by LA TIMES columnist Steve Lopez and pondering the violent events in Tucson, Arizona on January 8th I wondered about restorative justice and gun violence. Some might think there is little or no connection between gun violence and restorative justice but I think they 're wrong. The principles of restorative justice which focus on making things right with crime victims AFTER crimes are committed and embracing offender accountability also must address the need for violence prevention in the front end of the system. To think that those of us who work for restorative justice around the U.S. and globally do not care about preventing violence is wrongheaded. There is a place for a discussion on crime prevention especially when gun violence appears to be on the increase in the U.S. Whether you question that statement or not it is clear that gun ownership is on the rise in the U.S. According to the online news site Guardian.co.uk (1.12.11), "In the days since the tragedy, gun sales have increased dramatically. According to figures obtained from the FBI by Bloomberg, some 263 handguns were sold in Arizona the day after the killings, a rise of 60% on a year ago. Handgun sales were up 65% to 395 in Ohio and nationally increased by about 5% to 7,906." No publisher dvanness Case:Violence Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2011-01-28T18:26:47Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/restorative-justice-on-death-row-healing-for-crime-victims by Lisa Rea A death row inmate in Florida recently died in prison before the state could execute him. I became aware of Robert's case because I met his pen pal, Ines, a woman from Switzerland who had be-friended him through a pen pal organization, Lifespark, based in that country. After being interviewed by Ines for her organization's newsletter on the subject of forgiveness and restorative justice I learned more about the man she wrote in a Florida prison who had served some 20 years on death row. The story came to an end on December 3rd, 2010 when Robert unexpectedly died of cancer. But what I learned from my encounter with Ines was the real need to open doors more fully for all victims of violent crime wherever their offenders live and wherever their victims live (if they are still alive). I learned through Ines that her pen pal, once a very violent offender, was ready to attempt to make things right, as much as possible, with the victims or victim's family members that he had injured. The rap sheet on this man was very violent and longer than I'd ever seen. I often learn things about restorative justice and how to apply it seemingly coincidentally. When cases draw me, or more likely the people behind the cases, I have a hard time saying no. No publisher dvanness Story Correspondent:Lisa Rea Support System Victim Case:Sexual Policy 2010-12-14T20:32:13Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/jury-convicts-man-in-killing-of-chandra-levy-in-2001 by Lisa Rea Let's hope for the family of Chandra Levy that justice was done by convicting Ingmar Guandique of the 2001 murder of Chandra Levy. But reading the news stories surrounding the conviction makes me pause. I have spent quite a bit of time studying wrongful convictions, as well as talking to those exonerees who spent time in prison, some on death row, for crimes they did not commit. This case looks dubious. No publisher dvanness Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2011-02-16T19:33:50Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/updatewilhoit This is an update on Greg Wilhoit. As I said to Greg's sister, Nancy, I am thrilled to hear of his remarkable recovery since six months ago most of us thought he was going to leave us. But God had other plans. Greg is doing so well that he is walking (with the help of a walker) when it looked like he would never walk again. We are very thankful. He also has some big news: he is getting married this month in Oklahoma to Judy, a woman he's known for 25 years! Greg will be honored in Texas in October 2010 during an event hosted by the Journey of Hope: From Violence to Healing when the organization barnstorms the state with its message of hope and healing as it embraces restorative justice and stands against the death penalty. No publisher lparker, lisarea Limitations Potential Prison Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2010-09-21T19:25:46Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/can-you-work-for-the-victim-and-the-offender by Lisa Rea I had two things happen to me recently that gave me pause. It is the story of two people. One is the story of a crime victim. The other is a story of an ex-offender. The crime victim lost her husband to murder years ago in California. I've known this woman largely via email for many years as we both have worked for justice reform. This victim worked for an organization in California that often took positions regarding prison and sentencing policies than have not been positions I could support as an advocate of restorative justice. But regardless, she and I have been "friends". In time, I believe she saw me as a supporter of crime victims, something that I have worked hard to be. She was a good person and a nice human being. No publisher dvanness Offender Support Correspondent:Lisa Rea Community Victim Restitution 2010-07-06T02:08:17Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/restorative-justice-and-the-rwandan-genocide from Lisa Rea's interview with Dan Van Ness in UNICRI's Freedom from Fear magazine: Do you see healing occurring in the victims? And in the offenders as well? How does the community respond? The healing process is a long and involved one. I think that Umuvumu Tree Project has helped in that process in several ways. No publisher dvanness, lisarea Country:Rwanda Region: Africa National Reconciliation Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2010-04-07T21:23:18Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/greg-wilhoit-the-story-of-an-innocent-man by Lisa Rea I have a friend whose name is Greg Wilhoit. His story is a remarkable one. He is an exoneree who was freed from death row in Oklahoma after having served time for a crime he did not commit. He was convicted and sent to death row for the killing of his wife. The only incriminating "evidence" which convicted Greg Wilhoit was teeth marks found on the victim's body. Dental "experts" said the teeth marks matched Greg's. His story is on the website of The Journey of Hope: Greg is active with the Journey, as are many exonerees, as he tells his story of America's broken criminal justice system. No publisher lisarea Limitations Potential Prison Correspondent:Lisa Rea 2010-03-18T16:02:19Z News Item http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/giving-crime-victims-the-right-to-meet-with-their-offenders-virginia-legislative-developments-1 by Lisa Rea Should a crime victim have a right to meet his/her offender? It is very good to see that the Virginia State Legislature is considering the benefits that come with victim offender dialogue and restorative justice programming in general. According to Associated Press reporter Dena Potter's article in the Washington Examiner the proposed legislation is HB 913, authored by Delegate Robert B. Bell in the Virginia Legislature. No publisher lisarea Region: North America and Caribbean Correspondent:Lisa Rea Practice System Victim Country:USA 2010-04-30T14:13:24Z News Item