July 2004 Edition

Transforming Offenders in England and Wales.

The Sycamore Tree Project® is an intensive in-prison programme that brings groups of victims into prisons to meet with unrelated offenders.They talk about the effects of crime, the harms it causes, and how to make things right. Prison Fellowship of England and Wales implemented the programme in 1998. In this article, Peter Walker, executive director, offers a description of the programme and examples of its impact.

Implementing Restorative Reform in Guatemala

In 1996, after over 30 years of internal armed conflict, the Guatemalan government, guerrillas, and civil society representatives signed a series of peace accords to begin the country’s transition to peace. Among the many provisions laid out in the accords were recognition of indigenous customary law and the inclusion of alternative dispute resolution in the justice system. In the area of criminal law, legislation provided for mediation centres and community courts to provide mediation services in all conflicts including minor criminal cases.

Creating a Restorative System: Update on RJ City

RJ City is a research and design project to conceive what a jurisdiction might look like that responded to all crimes, criminals and victims as restoratively as possible.

Book Review: Restorative Justice: The Empowerment Model.

Greg Strong reviews Restorative Justice: The Empowerment Model which provides a paradigm for victim-offender empowerment as the central principle of criminal justice.

Website of the Month: Mediation UK

Mediation UK is a voluntary organization working to promote the use of mediation as a constructive conflict resolution mechanism. The website provides a wealth of information on the organization, mediation in different fields, and available resources.