Shame and restorative processes
Jul 30, 2009
from Howard Zehr's entry in Restorative Justice Blog:
The topic of shame has become a controversial issue in restorative justice. I’m convinced that an awareness of shame and its dynamics is critical for the field but I also believe there are serious dangers of misunderstanding and misuse....
....Shame can be positive when it motivates us to do the right thing - when we modify our behavior, then put shame behind. But shame is essentially a threat to our self-worth and when shame “sticks” to us, it is debilitating. In fact, I am convinced that shame plays a major role in much offending as well as in how those who offend experience justice.I’m also convinced that it often plays a significant role in victims’ trauma and the negative ways they often experience justice. But this is beyond the scope here - perhaps the topic of a later entry.
