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For restorative justice, the devil is in the details
from the column by J. Douglas Allen-Taylor in Oakland Local:
....The ordinance makes provision for existing agencies or non-profits to run the restorative justice component on a case-by-case referral basis, with instructions that the contracted program “may seek to involve the victim as well as the offender” in the restorative justice process. In addition the contracted program both makes the decision as to what will it take to bring restoration as well as to ultimately sign off on whether or not restoration was done.
Since that is one of the basic tenets or restorative justice—to bring victim and offender together to restore the whole—it would seem that the programs would almost always bring in the victims, as well as let the victims take the lead in deciding the restorative action.
Apr 26, 2013 Human Rights, Region: North America and Caribbean, System, Victim, Country:USA
'Why I must speak out to stop my rapist being freed'
from the article by David Barrett in the Telegraph:
After Dr Claire Chung was raped by a stranger at knifepoint, she took two extraordinary and courageous steps.
Firstly, she confronted him face to face after his conviction, as part of a programme known as “restorative justice”. Then she waived her anonymity, speaking of the decision she took to face the man who had attacked her.
Now she is speaking out again, this time to voice her concerns at a parole system which could free Stephen Allen Gale early next year.
Dec 04, 2012 Country:England&Wales, Region: Europe, System, Case:Violence, Victim, Case:Sexual
Review: The Final Gift: A documentary film
The Final Gift-- A Documentary Film offers an intimate look into one woman’s journey of healing following the violent death of her brother. Therese Bartholemew’s brother, Steve, died after being shot in an altercation at a club. This film results from her attempt to understand what happened and its impact on their family. It chronicles their emotions and responses from receiving the first phone call to the sentencing to Therese’s meeting with the offender.
Nov 13, 2012 Dialogue, Victim, Offender, Correspondent:Lynette Parker, Story, System, Region: North America and Caribbean, Prison, Forgiveness, Country:USA
Victims of Crime Reform Bill to increase RJ referrals
from the article by John Delaney on Restorative Justice Trust:
The Victims of Crime Reform Bill will soon return for its second reading in the House. The Bill introduces a package of measures that are aimed at strengthening existing legislation to better provide for the needs of victims of crime.
Of significance for restorative justice providers is the proposal to increase the number of cases referred to restorative justice. This is in recognition of the domestic and international research showing extremely high levels of satisfaction amongst victims who go through the RJ process.
Oct 25, 2012 Region: Pacific, Diversion, System, Country:New Zealand, Victim, Court
Victims of antisocial behaviour to decide on punishment
from the article by Alan Travis and Toby Helm in the Guardian:
Victims of antisocial behaviour are to decide how offenders are punished under a "community remedy" power to be detailed by Theresa May in a speech at the Conservative party conference.
The home secretary will say on Tuesday that she wants to change the law to empower victims to ensure they get some form of reparation by choosing from a "menu" of punishment options that would include a form of restorative justice.
Oct 18, 2012 Case:Livability Crimes, Country:England&Wales, Region: Europe, System, Victim
Select committee urged to avoid courtroom 'Oprahfication'
from the article on Voxy.co.nz:
Rethinking Crime and Punishment agrees that victims should be able to provide information to the court about the effects of offending; and the harm they have suffered. However, it does not believe that the presentation of a victim impact statement in the Court, was the best way to achieve it.
Apr 24, 2012 Region: Pacific, Mediation, System, Country:New Zealand, Other, Victim, Court
Moving beyond sides: The power and potential of a new public safety policy paradigm
from the executive summary by David Rogers and Kerry Naughton:
Many factors have shaped state and federal public safety policies in the United States over the past twenty-five years. The most notable influence has been the widespread adoption of a tough on crime philosophy. While there is now a wealth of research that shows that tough on crime policies are not the most effective approach to public safety and actually create a serious opportunity-cost for reducing crime and victimization, the tough on crime philosophy has become part of the political and public consciousness across the United States.
Letting victims define justice
from the article by Steve Sullivan for Restorative Justice Week 2011:
....There is a growing myth that for victims, justice requires tougher penalties. If only it was that simple. There is no evidence that punishment is as important to the majority of victims as some would have us believe. When asked in one study why they reported the crime, sexual assault victims listed punishment of the offender very low on their list of priorities.
Standing Committee
from Wilma Derksen's entry on Bittersweet:
I am meeting with the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights this morning.
This is what I will be saying.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to have this opportunity to address you and the rest of the committee regarding Bill C-10, The Safe Streets & Community Act.
....My daughter, Candace, was 13 years old when she was abducted and found murdered six weeks later. We lived without knowing the details of what happened for two decades.
Nov 23, 2011 Victim, Offender, Reentry, System, Policy, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:Canada, Politics, Support
The hardest kind of justice
from Bendert Katier's article on United Academics:
In countries throughout the world prisons are about to reach capacity, or more commonly, are completely overcrowded. Of those that do manage to get out of prison, in the case of the UK and the US for example, the rate of recidivism hovers around 50 and 60% every year since the mid-nineties. Meaning more than half of all former prisoners never get rehabilitated, never deal with issues of responsibility, trauma and emotion.
Furthermore, legal systems are flooded with cases creating a bottleneck that causes even the smallest of cases to last far longer than they should. When you add to this situation the astronomical costs of the average criminal justice system, it is easy to see that increasingly, governments have reached a breaking point. On the other side of the coin are the victims. Between the judges and the lawyers the average victim has a limited role in the very trial that is supposed to provide them with some sense of resolution and justice.The trauma that comes with the pain and suffering can last a lifetime.
