White Collar Crime

Restorative justice and white collar crime victims and perpetrators.

Empowered Victims & Moral Perpetrators: A Needs-Based Model of Reconciliation

from the entry by Christine Webb on Mediate.com: At a recent workshop at Leiden University on Obstacles and Catalysts for Peaceful Behavior, Nurit Shnabel presented exciting research distinguishing the needs of victims and perpetrators in interpersonal and intergroup conflicts. According to Shnabel and colleagues’ Needs-Based Model of Reconciliation, victims of conflict experience a psychological loss of status and honor, thus undermining their identities as powerful actors. Perpetrators, on the other hand, experience a psychological loss of social acceptance, thus threatening their identities as moral actors. Accordingly, victims and perpetrators are differentially motivated to restore these respective identities, and interactions that do so will increase their willingness to reconcile....

What if we gave victims of serious crimes the opportunity to face the offenders?

from the article by Robb Davis in the People's Vanguard of Davis: There has been much speculation about the factors that might lead someone to commit the kind of crime that was perpetrated against Mikey Partida. While some of it may be premature it is a normal human response to try to make sense of something that is so senseless. ….Lisa Rea, founder of Restorative Justice International, who has worked in restorative justice since 1992 believes that victims of crime do not want some vague sense of "closure" but rather they want to regain a sense of safety, security and healing. She argues in a 2012 article[1] that for many victims the healing process would be facilitated by an opportunity to face the offender, ask him/her questions, describe the harm that was done, and seek a way for the harms done to them to be made right. She notes: "...(T)hroughout my work the number of victims who are seeking to participate in some kind of restorative justice dialogue is increasing."

Sentencing circles for lawyers

from the editorial by Glenn Kauth in Law Times: If sentencing circles are fine for the criminal justice system, why shouldn’t they be an option at Law Society of Upper Canada disciplinary hearings? In a recent case involving lawyer Terence John Robinson, an LSUC hearing panel had the task of deciding whether to allow a sentencing circle for him. Robinson, a member of the Wikwemikong First Nation, has been in hot water in relation to a 2009 conviction for aggravated assault. He subsequently admitted to conduct unbecoming a licensee but wants to return to his criminal law practice representing aboriginal clients. The panel then invited submissions on whether to hold a sentencing circle for him.

Jillian Post on Review: Art in Action: Expressive Arts Therapy and Social Change

Just finishing an M.S. in Conflict Resolution, after checking into several Art Therapy programs. Makes me feel wishy washy about my decision... or like I [...]

Agnes Furey on 5 amazing things I've heard during the Sycamore Tree Project(R)

I've participated in victim/offender awareness groups. Even in one ninety minute event change can be apparant.

Review: Art in Action: Expressive Arts Therapy and Social Change

By Marian Liebmann It’s refreshing to see a book which contains many surprising and good techniques using our ‘right brains’ and the whole of ourselves. We spend too much time on ‘left-brain’ activities, planning, writing notes and reports, working out logistics, spending hours in front of our computer screens. This book is about another way of experiencing the world, and of helping many others in the process. This collection of essays seems to be an outcome of collaboration between staff of Lesley University (in Cambridge, USA and Israel) and the European Graduate School in Switzerland, the only master’s degree course in Expressive Arts in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding. In fact many of the authors are involved in both institutions.

Why go there?

from the entry by Peg Wallace for Wisconsin Restorative Justice Coalition: That’s the question that arises most often when I mention my visits with inmates in Wisconsin’s prison system. Why go there? Why would I, who lost a beloved family member to violent crime, want to “go there”—emotionally, let alone physically? Why do I spend three consecutive days of my discretionary time locked in intense conversation with convicted felons, many of whom have committed violent crimes? Why would anyone want to do that? My own journey to prison began over 25 years ago, when my 88-year-old grandmother and her two elderly friends were kidnapped after attending a charity event in my home town. Their kidnapper drove them to an isolated, wooded location and brutally kick-boxed them to death. Within days, he was captured, and within months, he was tried and convicted.

Restorative justice in government ethics

from the bolg entry by Reboert Wechsler for City Ethics: ….In an ethics proceeding, there may or not be individual victims. Possible victims include colleagues (e.g., fellow board members), subordinates (who may have been intimidated into silence or even required to participate in misconduct), and those working at companies doing or seeking special benefits from the local government (e.g., a victim of pay to play or losing contractors). And, of course, there is the community, which for government ethics purposes is considered the principal victim, because it is the community whose trust has been undermined and whose tax money has been wasted on a no-bid contract or a grant to a family member. Ethical misconduct also affects a community's reputation, to itself and to the outside world.

Howard Zehr shifts to leading role in new restorative justice institute

from the article by Lora Steiner and Bonnie Price Lofton on EMU.edu: Howard widely known as the “grandfather of restorative justice,” will step aside from his teaching role at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) after the spring 2013 semester and begin co-leading the newly established Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice. The leaders of EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) announced the founding of the Zehr Institute at the end of the fall 2012 semester, after persuading Zehr to let the institute carry his name. They also asked Zehr to remain a faculty member in a non-teaching role with the title Distinguished Professor of Restorative Justice.

Evaluation of The Forgiveness Project within prisons

from the article by Joanna R. Adler and Mansoor Mir: The Forgiveness Project (TFP) is a UK based charity that uses real stories to explore how ideas around forgiveness, reconciliation and conflict resolution can have a positive impact on people’s lives. One aspect of the charity’s work is a programme run within prisons, targeted at the early stages of a sentence.

Unite offering prisoner mediation service at Kirklevington Grange Prison

from the article by Sandy McKenzie in the Evening Gazette: ....Mr James said the focus was always on the long-term goal of reducing reoffending. “We’re also providing a victim-offender mediation service for those Kirklevington prisoners who agree to talk to their victims and where the victim agrees to meet the perpetrator. “This is one way a prisoner can show they have taken responsibility for their actions. They may want to offer an explanation to the victim. They may want to say sorry and agree a way to make amends.”

Restorative justice behind bars

from the article by Stacy Howard on the Criminal Justice section of Seattle University's website: This summer, Seattle University's Criminal Justice program took students out of the classroom and into prison cells. SU’s criminal justice chair and a sociology professor teamed up to create a new pilot course that provided a unique learning experience for students.

Restorative justice and overseas adoption

from the op-ed by Park Hee-jung in The Korea Times: In the 10 years I spent providing interpretation and managerial services for international adoptees on a volunteer basis, I witnessed the pain of many international adoptees. Today, I am still providing consultation to adoptees raised in the U.S., and I served as the manager in some facilities in which adoptees stay in Korea to learn the Korean language and culture. I listened to many different stories while acting as an interpreter during the reunions of families who previously gave up their children for adoption. Approximately 200,000 international adoptees from Korea are scattered throughout the world, and there are currently close to 300 international adoptees staying in Korea to learn the Korean language and culture in order to discover a sense of identity. I have had a range of experiences while providing this voluntary interpretation service.

Restorative justice for veterans: The San Francisco Sheriff 's Department's Community of Veterans Engaged in Restoration (COVER)

from the article by Sunny Schwartz and Leslie Levitas: ....Veterans represent a rapidly growing segment of the jail population whose characteristics mirror those of the general jail population and include histories of substance abuse, inconsistent work histories and challenges related to maintaining family relationships. Like most prisoners, they receive few services while incarcerated to address the myriad of health, mental health, and psychosocial issues that contribute to their incarceration and pose challenges upon release. The military discharge status of most justice-involved vets—less than honorable—makes them ineligible for many of the benefits and services offered by the Veterans Administration (VA).

Restorative justice: a way forward with the banks?

from the article by Martin Wright on no-offence.org There are calls to prosecute and imprison individuals, rather than merely fine the companies, but putting them in the dock is expensive and they can often use legal technicalities to avoid it. It does little for the victims over and above the compensation which the bank is paying anyway. So what can be done?

Journalists should 'meet people affected by their inaccurate stories'

from the article by David Brindle in the Guardian: Journalists should be compelled to meet people they have written inaccurate and misleading stories about, the outgoing chair of the Charity Commission has said. Dame Suzi Leather, who has faced sustained hostility from some national newspapers, said any new system of press regulation established after the Leveson inquiry should include provision for a form of "restorative justice".

Great story - The Power in the word "Sorry"

 This is a great story about Restorative Justice. I don't like the old adage of, "It's no use crying over spilt milk." because it denies [...]

3rd party recipients of apology letters

Hi, I have a brother in prison who would like to send an apology letter to the family of his victim. I have heard there [...]

Rena captain and officer sent to jail

from the article by Matt Bowne and Paloma Migone in the Marlborough Express: ....The men responsible for causing New Zealand's worst maritime environmental disaster by grounding the Rena off Tauranga's coast have been sentenced to seven months in jail. ...."There was substantial ecological damage to marine wildlife and seabirds, the food resources of the indigenous people who reside on the coast, the incomes of those whose living is made from the sea ... and an entire community was sent into shock."

Power of One: Restorative justice couples victims with offenders

from the article on CTV.ca: ....A woman named Marité has been taking part in the process, not by facing her sexually-abusive father, but rather, another man who committed similar acts. She said that results have helped her cope with the damage she suffered. "For him it was like I was his daughter," said Marité. "And I was able also to express my anger to him and that's what he wanted rather than silence from his daughter." "I can now go forward because I'm not bound to my father anymore. I can leave him go."