November 2004 Edition
Victim Offender Mediation: Short Notes From Poland.
In 2003, laws and regulations concerning victim-offender mediation were modified in Poland. One result of these changes is that more cases are now eligible for VOM than before. Dr. Elżbieta Czwartosz, a professor of psychology at the University of Warsaw, reviews these developments and provides information on the number and types of cases referred to mediation in recent years, as well as the use of mediation agreements in court decisions.
New Restorative Justice Legislation in the Australian Capital Territory
A recently passed bill will expand the use of restorative process in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) beginning in 2005. The Crime (Restorative Justice) Act 2004 allows the use of conferencing in all stages of the criminal justice process from pre-trial diversion to parole. The act, passed in August, grows out of the government’s ACT Criminal Justice Strategic Plan 2002-2005 which included an examination of restorative justice options in the territory.
ICJR Award Announced
The PFI Centre for Justice and Reconciliation (PFICJR) is seeking nominations for the 2005 International Prize for Restorative Justice, to be awarded in August next year. This award recognizes significant advances in the implementation of restorative justice.
Book Review: La giustizia senza spada. Uno studio comparato su giustizia riparativa e mediazione.
Dr. Simona Silvani reviews this book from Italy about the position of victim offender mediation in the criminal justice system.
Website of the Month: Deep Humanity Institute
The Deep Humanity Institute (DHI) describes itself as ‘...a nonprofit corporation that provides learning adventures in community building, peacemaking, and restorative justice.’ This website provides a profile of the organization and its programmes.
