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Rojas Mendoza, Dionisio. 2006. Design of a Restorative Justice Process: Inter-Sectoral Commission for Life and Human RIghts. Barrancabermeja (Colombia). Eastern Mennonite University. Conflict Transformation Program.

This article discusses the possible design of a restorative response to mass violence in Colombia.

Developing Restorative Juvenile Justice in Peru

In Peru, the majority of juvenile offenders are incarcerated, even in cases of petty crime, with close to 68% having sentences of three years or less. This is true despite the inclusion of alternative sentences such as community service and remission of the sentence in the penal code. To address this reality the Switzerland-based NGO Terre des Hommes designed and implemented a pilot project called Justicia Para Crecer to introduce concepts of restorative justice. Partners in this project include the Peruvian NGO Encuentros –Casa de la Juventud and different government entities in the areas of el Agostino and Chiclayo.

Umbreit, Mark S. "Juvenile Offenders Meet Their Victims: The Impact of Mediation in Albuquerque, New Mexico."

Describes the results of a program evaluation of a victim offender mediation (VOM) program in Albuquerque. Court officials, program staff, and 206 victims and juvenile offenders were interviewed. Participants in the VOM program indicated high levels of satisfaction with both the process and outcome of VOM. Offenders negotiating their own reparation agreements with victims were much more likely to comply with the restitution compared to those being ordered to pay restitution by courts.

Parker, Lynette. Reforms Create Open Door for Restorative Justice in Chile.

Chile is enacting significant justice system reforms that seem to be opening doors for more restorative elements . Problems with crime and lack of trust in the criminal justice system provoked both the government and civil society to seek new options and creative solutions when seeking justice. These include more emphasis on victimxe2x80x99s issues, the creation of community mechanisms for dealing with conflict, and the introduction of mediation projects into schools.

Parker, Lynette. Penal Mediation Piloted in Argentina

In the 1990s, Argentina began a series of reform efforts to alleviate corruption, overcrowding of jails and prisons, backlogs stalling the court system, and a lack of faith in the justice system. Among those reforms was the Proyecto RAC (Alternative Conflict Resolution Project), a pilot project in penal mediation.

Price, Marty D.. Restorative Justice Warmly Received in Mexico

The process of mediation is relatively new in Mexico and the term restorative justice was virtually unheard of until recently. The Mexican criminal justice system is even more punitive than the systems of the United States and Canada. But some Mexican visionaries imagined that there must be better ways to deal with conflict and crime. This summer's initiative was spearheaded by Dr. Jorge Pesqueira, a law professor at the University of Sonora and president of the Instituto de Mediacion de Mexico, along with Sr. Sergio Herrera Trejo, the president of the Tribunal Superior de Mexico (the Supreme Court.) They conceived a five-week training course (60 hours per week) for justices, judges, prosecutors, lawyers and psychologists from every state in Mexico.

Yazzie, Robert. Life Comes from It: Navajo Justice Concepts

Reports on the Navajo Nation's Peacemaker Courts which focuses on healing and nourishing long term relationships, rather than establishing guilt.

Consedine, Jim. Restorative Justice-A Light in the Darkness

Consedine observes that any criticism of the nature of imprisonment and the current criminal justice system raises the objection, “Yes…but what alternatives are you proposing?�? Therefore, Consedine takes up the challenge and proposes restorative justice as the alternative – as a light in the darkness. He substantiates his position by critically examining the idea and practice of punishment as the heart of the problem; explains what restorative justice is and how it works; identifies restorative alternatives to punishment; and urges Christians to work for a restorative justice approach to responding to crime.

Consedine, Jim. A Harsh Reality - A Merciful Response

Beginning with an indictment of the retributive criminal justice system and the modern prison system, Consedine calls for the Christian Church to respond to issues of crime, law, and order with an alternative approach. This approach should express Good News. It should be based on justice, equity, fairness, and accountability. Yet it should also be guided by wisdom tempered by mercy, thus always seeking the possibility of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation for victims and offenders. To develop this perspective, Consedine explores justice in relation to the common good and to law; biblical justice; shalom, social justice, and covenant; the New Testament and justice; and respect, mercy, forgiveness, and pardon.

Morris, Ruth. Reconciled with Whom? Wrong Criminals, Wrong Goal

In this radical analysis of crime and response to crime, Ruth Morris maintains that the criminal justice system as it exists is a costly, unjust, immoral failure. More succinctly, she sees the system as wrong because it has the wrong goal and it puts the wrong people in the dock. It has the wrong goal-namely, revenge. And it puts the wrong people in the dock – namely, the marginalized. She then applies her analysis to the world’s prisons, the Christian responsibility to reconcile and restore relationships, and pastoral work within the penal system.

Morris, Ruth. Why Transformative Justice?

In this address, Ruth Morris describes her transition from an advocate of restorative justice to an advocate of transformative justice. In her perspective, the difference in terminology is not just semantic; the difference is substantive. She makes her case by outlining the differences she perceives between retributive justice, restorative justice, and transformative justice. In particular, she details how she believes restorative justice suffers from flawed words and analysis, and why transformative justice accurately diagnoses the problem and offers the appropriate response to the problem.

Northey, Wayne. Restorative justice and prison visitation

M2/W2 Association is an organization of Christian volunteers in corrections in British Columbia. Wayne Northey is executive director of this organization. In this article Northey roots the practice of prison visitation in restorative justice and points to biblical foundations for restorative justice. Examples from the ministry of M2/W2 Association in correctional facilities in British Columbia illustrate the potential of restorative, transformative justice to change lives.

Parker, Lynette. The Use of Restorative Practices in Latin America

Several Latin American countries are looking for alternative methods for dealing with crime and conflict. This opening has spurred both government and civil society to experiment with restorative processes. Innovations include the use of penal mediation for criminal cases, the introduction of peace education into schools, and the incorporation of restorative principles into law. A pilot project in penal mediation by the University of Buenos Aires has led to the inclusion of mediation in the Argentine criminal justice system. Civil society groups in Chile are pioneering mediation in various aspects of life. Other countries seeing innovations include Costa Rica, Brazil and Mexico.

Servicio Internacional para la Paz / International Service for Peace. The Return of the Heart: Justice and Community Reconciliation in the Indigenous Tradition

This article describes traditional indigenous perspectives and structures for dealing with community conflict and crime in the Chiapas region of Mexico. These are contrasted with the formal Mexican criminal justice system. Specific attention is given to ideas of authority, punishment, forgiveness, reconciliation, community, and mediation. The issue is raised whether indigenous perspectives and measures are adequate in the face of the extreme conflict in Chiapas in recent years.

Scuro Neto, Pedro. Câmaras restaurativas: a Justiça como instrumento de transformação de conflitos

Abstract unavailable

Parker, Lynette. Introducing Restorative Practices to Mexico.

Recently, the Government of Mexico and several NGOs have embarked on efforts to develop restorative practices in that country. These reforms have been the result of efforts to increase security, recognize victimsxe2x80x99 rights, foster changes in the Mexican justice system, and include civil society groups in reforming the system

Maier, Charles S. Doing history, doing justice: The narrative of the historian and of the truth commission.

Maier investigates the intersection of the roles of the historian and truth commissions or formal court proceedings in the aftermath of large-scale abuses. The focus is on parallels in those roles in establishing, explaining, and interpreting a narrative of political violence. Examples come from post-World War II war-crimes trials, Chile, Argentina, Germany (after unification with East Germany), and South Africa. In this context, Maier points to the need for the historian to “interrogate" the historical record developed by commissions and courts, as well as the need for the historian to study the investigating body itself (commissions and courts) and its work. This leads to discussion of the similarities and differences in historical narratives established by the historian and by commissions and courts, as well as discussion of the significance of narrative itself.

Lynch, David Joseph. "Restorative justice, bridle for human passions."

In the 1990s, Vermont’s Department of Corrections faced overcrowded facilities, rising costs, public apathy, and programs that seemed ineffective. Vermont responded by launching an initiative to recast its criminal justice system in terms of restorative justice principles and practices. In this thesis, Lynch examines that initiative. He begins with an introduction to the situation in Vermont and the steps outlined by Vermont to refashion its system, with emphasis on a reparative services track rooted in restorative justice. The next section of the study consists of a literature review concerning restorative justice, and a sketch of relevant aspects of Vermont’s state constitution. Then Lynch describes the research methods used in his study. In the final sections of the thesis, he details the operations of the Vermont Reparative Probation Program, with field observations based on his survey and interviews with a variety of individuals connected with the program. To support his analysis and conclusions, Lynch provides statistical tables from his survey and interviews.

Winfree, L. Thomas, Jr. Peacemaking and community harmony: Lessons (and admonitions) from the Navajo Peacemaking Courts.

With considerable interest in restorative justice and its legal and cultural antecedents, many have pointed to aboriginal cultural practices with respect to the restoration of harmony, balance, or peace within a community. Winfree acknowledges the value in learning from those practices, yet he also contends there are cautionary elements in them as well. In general, such elements have been ignored by restorative justice proponents. In view of all of this, Winfree identifies key lessons to be learned form Navajo restorative justice practices. He focuses in particular on promises and cautions for restorative justice in relation to Navajo Peacemaker Courts. He does so first by examining underlying aboriginal ideas and philosophy, and then by locating Peacemaker Courts in Navajo history, culture, values, sense of justice, and ceremonies.

Editor. Interview with Ada Pecos Melton

Trained and experienced in criminal justice, Ms. Melton is a member of the Pueblo Jemez in New Mexico and President of American Indian Development Associates. In this interview, she responds to questions from the editors of Full Circle. The questions and responses address basic concepts and processes of indigenous justice – for example, the nature of indigenous justice; how responsibility is determined; how things are made right; and opportunities and challenges for cooperation between people interested in restorative justice and those interested in indigenous justice.