April 2004 Edition
South African NGO Furthers the Implementation of Restorative Justice
Khulisa, a South African crime prevention organization, has made significant inroads applying restorative justice in a society that has faced significant increases in crime over the past decade. Khulisa, whose name means “to nurture the development of a person”, uses an array of programs to assist children at risk and young offenders. In addition to working throughout the country, Khulisa also partners with a variety of governmental departments.
Restorative Practices in Guam
During the past two decades, Inafa’ Maolek Mediation Center in Guam has used restorative justice to help offenders understand the consequences of their actions and offer amends to the people who suffered from the behaviour. Founder and executive director Attorney Pat Wolff describes its two primary services as direct mediation and conflict resolution training for students and adults.
A Justice That Heals
This one hour documentary explores the aftermath of a senseless murder of a 19-year-old young man named Andrew Young by 18-year-old Mario Ramos. It centers on Mario’s parish priest, Fr. Bob Oldershaw, as he confronted the reality that this terrible act was committed by a member of his church, and further, that the family of the victim lived in the very neighbourhood of the church.
Book Review: Beyond the Comfort Zone: A Guide to the Practice of Community Conferencing
This short book (84 pages of text with note pages between chapters) is a valuable resource for program practitioners as well as students of restorative justice. It is based on the experience of several agencies in the Canadian city of Calgary as they created an alternative to disciplinary and delinquency processes for young people charged with causing serious harm.
Website of the Month: Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking.
The Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, at the University of Minnesota School of Social Work in St. Paul, seeks to advance restorative justice practice and principles by providing technical assistance, training, and research in Minnesota, the United States, and internationally.
