Restorative Justice & Other Public Health Approaches for Healing – Page 5

Restorative justice offers an opportunity, not a guarantee, for healing

By Lorenn | December 29, 2009January 2, 2010 by Lorenn

“Not everyone’s wounds will heal” after being victimized by crime, an experienced judge says. This is true. Some people will never heal. Restorative justice is not a panacea that will heal every single person’s wounds suffered from being a crime victim. Restorative justice offers only the opportunity for healing, not a guarantee, but we know from an abundance of research that restorative justice helps many people. Currently our justice system primarily only offers crime victims…

Apology Conflict Management Restorative Justice Victims

Howard Zehr’s List to Apply Restorative Justice in Our Lives

By Lorenn | December 9, 2009December 9, 2009 by Lorenn

Professor and author Howard Zehr, commonly referred to as the grandfather of the modern restorative justice movement, has written a list of ten ways to live restoratively in his November 27, 2009 blog: http://emu.edu/blog/restorative-justice/2009/11/27/10-ways-to-live-restoratively/ Professor Zehr’s landmark book Changing Lenses is one of the first books I read about restorative justice about 15 years ago. Since then I have referred it to anyone wanting to learn about restorative justice. I have also used it as…

Restorative Justice Solution-Focused Therapeutic Jurisprudence

New Book: “Solution-Focused Judging Bench Book”

By Lorenn | November 29, 2009November 29, 2009 by Lorenn

The Solution-Focused Judging Bench Book was written primarily by Michael King, an Australian law professor and former judge, and was published by The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration. The book describes how courts can apply therapeutic jurisprudence principals, which “concentrates on the law’s impact on emotional life and psychological well-being” in court hearings. Bench books are used by judges to manage courtrooms, and this one offers some simple suggestions for making court hearings more likely…

Apology Restorative Justice Solution-Focused

www.apologyletter.com To Help Consider & Prepare a Meaningful Apology

By Lorenn | November 18, 2009November 19, 2009 by Lorenn

In October 2009 Ben Furman, a psychiatrist from Finland, and the author of numerous books including the brilliant Solution Talk: Hosting Threaputic Conversations, with his colleague Ahola Tapani, and I, developed and made available, a free web site program: www.apologyletter.org. The simple program combines solution-focused brief therapy and restorative justice to provide a confidential program for considering what to address in forming a meaningful apology. No one escapes hurting others in life. Whether done intentionally…

Restorative Justice schools

San Francisco School Board Supports Restorative Justice

By Lorenn | October 16, 2009January 2, 2010 by Lorenn

On October 13, 2009 the San Franciso Unified School District unanimously voted to “develop a plan designed to replace some student suspensions with more “restorative” repercussions.” Instead of simply suspending students who violate school rules, restorative interventions will be used. Restorative justice interventions are especially relevant and necessary for youth. Who can deny that childhood and teen years are a time of learning and discovery? We have “ages of maturity” like turning 18 and 21 in…

forgiveness

England’s Discussion on Forgiveness

By Lorenn | October 12, 2009October 12, 2009 by Lorenn

Marina Cantacuzino founder of The Forgiveness Project has written an article in London’s The Times on-line newspaper October 12, 2009 about forgiveness and the case of an Irish activist who planted a bomb 25 years ago that killed five people and left others seriously injured. The man served 14 years in prison (was sentenced to life), but released as part of the Good Friday Agreement also known as the Belfast Agreement, which was part of…

Restorative Justice Victims

Restorative Justice Protects Victims While Retributive Justice Seeks Revenge

By Lorenn | September 29, 2009April 3, 2010 by Lorenn

Restorative justice values the voice of victims and works to protects their rights. Another sad example of how our retributive justice system works to re-victimize victims, is the story of a woman whose voice was not heard or valued by the system. The woman was 13 years old in 1977 when charges were brought against movie director Roman Polanski for sexually assaulting her. Because Polanski fled the county before being sentenced for having sex with…

Apology Restorative Justice Solution-Focused

Teaching Youth How to Make Apologies Using Restorative Justice Principles

By Lorenn | September 27, 2009September 27, 2009 by Lorenn

Making effective apologies is a necessary skill. Yet few of us know how to do it and most of us fail to teach our children how to make effective apologies. Many of us think we can simply say, “I’m sorry,” or “Please forgive me.” But often an apology requires that we do more. Restorative justice principles provide ideal questions to ask others and ourselves when we need to make a meaningful apology. Ben Furman is…

prisons

Bad Prison Policy Risks Community Safety in Hawai’i

By Lorenn | September 13, 2009 by Lorenn

The state of Hawai‘i’s current prison polices risk the safety of our community and waste scarce public resources. The decision to close Kulani prison is a case in point. Hawai‘i’s Republican governor Linda Lingle and her prison administration are closing Kulani prison, which focuses on treatment and rehabilitation. At the same time the administration gives $50 million a year to the private prison company Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) to imprison people thousands of miles…

forgiveness

Forgiveness is Power for Victims

By Lorenn | September 10, 2009September 10, 2009 by Lorenn

Marina Cantacuzino a journalist and the founder of The Forgiveness Project in London writes for the Huffington Post about having compassion for those who commit even the most despicable crimes and the power it gives victims. Marina has interviewed and written about dozens of people from all over the world who have been seriously hurt by crimes, those who committed the offenses, and how the power of forgiveness has helped people heal. She discusses the…