Reintroduction of the Restorative Justice in Schools Act

from Tom Cavanagh's blog:

Become an supporter of the Restorative Justice in Schools Act. Below is the letter Congressman Steve Cohen sent to his colleagues asking for support for the bill.

Dear Colleague,

We encourage you to cosponsor legislation that promotes providing school personnel (teachers and counselors) with essential training that has the potential to reduce youth incarceration.

Jan 26, 2011 School, Government, Legislation, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Country:USA

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The Virginia Center for Restorative Justice

from Sylvia Clute's post in Genuine Justice:

How does a community establish a restorative justice program? It happens at the local level when committed individuals decide to make it happen. Take the Virginia Center for Restorative Justice (VCRJ), for example, a nonprofit established late last year in Richmond, Virginia.

VCRJ was founded by its Executive Director, Judy Clarke, a woman whose commitment to restorative justice is grounded in her abiding faith in God and in the fundamental goodness of humanity. But this journey began for Judy many years ago when she visited the Richmond City Jail for a day with a group of business leaders who were charged with finding a solution to the jail’s problems.

Jan 19, 2011 Story, Support, Practice, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA

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[More sensible ideas from the US!] Prison reform: A smart way for states to save money and lives

from the Washington Post OpEd by Newt Gingrich and Pat Nolan:

With nearly all 50 states facing budget deficits, it's time to end business as usual in state capitols and for legislators to think and act with courage and creativity.

We urge conservative legislators to lead the way in addressing an issue often considered off-limits to reform: prisons. Several states have recently shown that they can save on costs without compromising public safety by intelligently reducing their prison populations.

Jan 13, 2011 Support, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Politics, Country:USA

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Governor Jerry Brown: Can he support restorative justice?

by Lisa Rea

Jerry Brown has returned to California Governor's office in 2011 having first been elected the youngest governor in the state in 1975. What's changed?

The incarceration rate has skyrocketed. In 1986 the state prison population was at 59,000. Now the state incarcerates 173, 000 inmates in its state prisons (Legislative Analyst Office, 2006). Although editorial writer Dan Morain of the Sacramento BEE speaks of Brown's close ties to the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA, the prison guard union with more members than most unions in the state) I believe Brown will not be tied to the failed policies of the past. I expect something more. 

Jan 12, 2011 Support, Region: North America and Caribbean, Policy, Politics, Country:USA

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