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- Showing 10 posts published between Oct 01, 2009 and Oct 31, 2009 [Show all]
True justice
from Jonathan Brink's entry on Missio Dei:
Lately I’ve been contemplating a lot on the nature of justice. What is true justice in humanity, justice that stands the test of time? What is the nature of it that we would subject ourselves to it, freely. And this video I think really reveals it in such a simple but succinct way.
True justice is the act of both truth AND grace. It’s getting to the truth and reality of our own brokenness. But it is also embracing grace as the defining response to that brokenness. Both are necessary for true justice to emerge in our lives.
Restorative justice instead of suspensions
from the City Insider column on SFGate.com:
The San Francisco school board adopted a policy Tuesday night that will require school administrators to consider alternatives to suspension and expulsion when children violate school rules.
While suspension and expulsion are mandatory in certain cases -- for bringing a gun, knife or bomb to school, selling drugs or committing sexual assault -- principals have leeway in determining punishment when students get into fights, repeatedly disrupt class or damage school property.
Reflections on the restorative conference facilitator’s script
From Kate Shapero's article published in the the Restorative Practices E-Forum for 12 October 2009 from the International Institute of Restorative Practices.
In mathematics and science, the term elegant is used to describe a formula or explanation that is both simple and comprehensive. Elegant ideas use evidence to braid together many of the messy strings dangling from a problem. They reveal core mechanisms and are easily related between individuals. Though it inhabits a world seemingly separate from the rigid logic of science and math, restorative conferencing is extremely elegant. The organization of conferencing approaches emotionally chaotic situations and provides structured opportunities to create solutions.
The straightforward information presented in IIRP course YC/ED 502 gave me the tools I needed to deconstruct the magic in conferencing and understand the mechanics of the process. I was very impressed by the thoughtful work that goes into preparing for conferences, as well as the well-ordered script. Conferencing feels very real. It seems to honor cultural differences and family norms. It acknowledges and disapproves of harmful behavior but avoids arbitrary punishments.
After reading through the Conferencing Handbook, watching demonstrations and participating in role plays, I began to appreciate how an organized meeting can lead to such powerful interactions. Conversely, I realized why conversations that do not honor the needs and emotional reactions of participants with clarity may lead to less satisfactory outcomes.
Oct 19, 2009 Conference, Practice
An IRA bomber and a victim's daughter
from Lisa Rea's entry at Change.org:
On Tuesday, former Irish Republican Army (IRA) activist Pat Magee, who was convicted of the Brighton bombings in 1984, met Jo Berry, daughter of Sir Anthony Berry, one of the five victims killed in the blast.
Though Magee had been given eight life sentences, he was freed in 1999 under the negotiated terms of the Good Friday Agreement of 1999. Magee's conviction was based on his planning of the bomb and for attempting to kill British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was attending a conference at the Grand Hotel in Brighton (above), where the bomb was planted.
Oct 19, 2009 Country:England&Wales, Victim, Apology, Offender, Correspondent:Lisa Rea, National Reconciliation, Forgiveness
'They are not scum'
from the article on iol.co.za:
Churches should speak out strongly when they encountered abuse in prisons, Deputy Minister of Correctional Services Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Monday.
Addressing a Cape Town conference on pastoral care in prisons, she said people of faith of all religions were supposed to be "the moral authority of the most vulnerable".
They had to be vigilant and speak out on violations of the Constitution and the Correctional Services Act.
"We expect the church and other faith-based organisations to take a strong stance when deaths in correctional centres are reported and when offenders are deprived of other rights and privileges such as parole," she said.
Oct 16, 2009 Religion, Region: Africa, Community, Country:South Africa
I love my job!
from Giles Charle's post on Restorative Justice at West Oakland Middle School:
I am very happy with my job, even though I don't make very much money and I have no idea if it, or anything like it will exist next year. I do believe that Restorative Justice provides some crucial answers for us as we move towards our true potential as peaceful cooperative beings.
With that said today was rough, I had more kids in lunch detention/thinkery then I new what to do with. Thanks to Mr. Brooks the co-principle of West Oakland Middle School (WOMS) we were able to sort out the students who understood what they did and were ready to take responsibility and head back to class from the kids who needed a little bit more reflection time before they would be ready.
Crime victims may get a say on punishments
from Lottie Ray's article on iomtoday.co.im:
The Isle of Man's criminal justice system is facing changes this year.
The Department of Home Affairs is considering introducing a Restorative Justice pilot scheme, which would give victims a say in how offenders are dealt with, to the Island.
Restorative Practices and Librarianship – another framework to tie unconferencing and social media to librarianship?
from Ryan Deschamps' entry in The Other Librarian:
To what degree can restorative practices be applied to the act of leading people to information? To me, it does not hurt to ponder the possibilities. I’ve been working in the community on these lines recently, and see many many connections to what libraries and librarians already do. Certainly, restorative practices already are used to resolve organizational conflicts and problems. It also applies to the concept of leadership within the community. And of course, public libraries tie in to the idea of habilitating young people into society before they ever have negative encounters with the justice system.
Oct 15, 2009 Other
New study concludes that victim awareness programme works
by Dan Van Ness
The Sycamore Tree Programme (STP), a victim awareness programme delivered by Prison Fellowship England and Wales since 1998, produces "significant positive attitudinal changes" in prisoners, making it less likely that they will commit crimes in the future. This is the finding of a new study that evaluated before and after questionnaires completed by 5,007 programme participants over the past three years.
Oct 14, 2009 Correspondent:Dan Van Ness, Other, Country:England&Wales, Victim, Prison
Victims abused then denied care: 8 states allow practice
by Lisa Rea
After reading the news story on MSNBC I was astounded. The story tells of the denial of health care insurance to victims of domestic violence in the U.S. This apparently has been going on for quite a while in the U.S. but most of us probably never heard about this appalling fact. As the story reads, a 1994 survey conducted by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee found that 8 of 16 U.S. insurers denied coverage to applicants due to domestic violence. You'd think maybe we were talking about the offender (i.e. the abuser) being denied coverage but, no, we're talking about the victim of domestic violence. In the U.S. health insurance companies can deny coverage without explaining why that coverage is being denied.
Oct 14, 2009 Correspondent:Lisa Rea, Support, Victim, Case:Domestic Violence, Restitution
