Priest's slaying in Birmingham to be remembered in church service
from the article by Greg Garrison in the Birmingham News:
The 1921 slaying of a Catholic priest in Birmingham by a Methodist minister will be the subject of repentance during a 6:30 p.m. Ash Wednesday service at Highlands United Methodist Church, 1045 20th Street South, led by United Methodist Bishop William Willimon.
"It's going to be a powerful and a historic event," said Jim Pinto, director of the Father James E. Coyle Memorial Project. "We're not going to live in the past, but we want to more fully understand the past."
Feb 22, 2012 Region: North America and Caribbean, National Reconciliation, Country:USA, Case:Hate Crime
Restorative Justice: Differences between the US and UK
from Scott Walsh's entry on From the Desk of Mary Ellen Johnson:
First: Politics
This is one more area where the UK and the US are miles apart. In the United States prosecutors often go into politics as a career so being strong on crime and talking the rhetoric helps in their campaigns. To have any chance of moving forward all political parties need to be targeted at the same time, there is little point in persuading one politician or political party to be more understanding as this will just leave the door open for his or her opposition to jump in with the policy they are stronger on crime and sentencing.
They also need to be tackled at the right time; your political system seems to run on a four year cycle. There is very little point in lobbying any politicians to be more compassionate towards offenders in the final 2 years of any administration as they will not want to seem weak on the crime ticket and also be already campaigning for the next elections. The day after any vote is the day to start.
Feb 21, 2012 Country:England&Wales, Region: Europe, Region: North America and Caribbean, Politics, Country:USA
Victims' Pastoral Care: The Search for Spiritual Healing from the Impacts of Crime.
On 26 April, the Church Council on Justice and Corrections will host a one-day workshop on pastoral care for crime victims.
Feb 21, 2012 Event
UC explores restorative justice in improving campus climate
from Harry Mok's article in UC Newsroom:
A residence hall fire alarm is pulled as a drunken prank in the middle of the night. A fellow resident, who happens to be gay, witnesses it and confronts the culprit as the building is evacuated. In the exchange of words, the prankster utters a pejorative term for a homosexual man in a profanity-laced tirade.
Fortunately, the situation was just part of a role-playing exercise. Twenty-three student affairs staff members, from all 10 University of California campuses, took part in training for restorative justice, a conflict resolution process that UC is considering for use when dealing with incidents of intolerance or hate, particularly for conduct that, while offensive, may not violate any laws or policies.
Feb 20, 2012 Policy, School, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA
Restorative justice provides new path for prisoners
from the article by Jesse Bishop in the Misourian:
....This is no television prison. There is no guard or glass wall. There are no handcuffs
or restraints, just a couple of cameras and a conversation. A conversation about where they came from, why they’re here, but most importantly a conversation about where they’re going. It’s a path with few options.
“On the other side of that door, it’s either hell or redemption,” Baumgardner says. “You choose.”
“That door” leads to the bowels of Jefferson City Correctional Center, a maximum security prison. Starr, Baumgardner and King have all chosen the latter path. Hell is what got them here. Restorative Justice offers them a chance to change that.
Feb 17, 2012 Region: North America and Caribbean, Other, Victim, Prison, Country:USA, Restitution
New York Times article shows why restorative justice is needed
from the entry by Lorenn Walker on Restorative Justice & Other Public Health Approaches for Healing:
The February 5, 2012 New York Times article by Kovaleski et al, For Killers’ Families, Struggles With Shame, Silence and Fear shows why we need restorative justice.
The article describes how family members are also harmed by their loved one’s criminal behavior. It shows the need for restorative interventions that can help many families deal with the harm they suffer.
Feb 16, 2012 Victim, Practice, Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA
Arts and Criminal Justice Symposium
From the event announcement:
The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, with Ford Foundation support, is having an Arts and Criminal Justice Symposium on April 27th 9am-3:30pm at 1515 Market St. Philadelphia, Pa with keynote speaker Howard Zehr and workshops focused on Best Practices and Interventions, Funding and Grants, Working Behind the Prison Walls, Research and Program Evaluation, Restorative Justice and Victims’ Perspectives and a screening of the film Concrete Steel and Paint. "When a Parent is in Prison," a documentary project of Mennonite Central Committee's Restorative Justice program and Eastern Mennonite University's Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, will also be featured at the symposium.
Feb 16, 2012 Event
Let’s make restorative justice a reality in 2012
from the article by Robert Buckland MP in TRG Egremont:
Having worked for many years in the criminal justice system, prosecuting and defending in criminal cases, I am acutely aware that the trial process does not - and cannot - address the problems faced by victims of crime.
Since my election to Parliament in 2010, I have taken an increasing interest in restorative justice and how it can play a bigger role in the criminal justice system in the UK. Restorative justice can help turn lives around for the offenders and aid the healing process among victims of crime.
Feb 15, 2012 Country:England&Wales, Support, Region: Europe, Policy, Politics
Ford launches restorative justice guide for young people
from the article on Northern Ireland Executive:
Justice Minister David Ford has launched an innovative new guide to restorative justice for young people. The booklet entitled “Restorative Justice - a guide for young people” was produced by the Youth Justice Agency in collaboration with the Restorative Justice Forum (NI).
Launched during a Restorative Justice Forum seminar in Parliament Buildings, the child friendly guide uses a comic book format to explain how restorative justice can be used in a variety of settings including the youth conference.
Feb 14, 2012 Juvenile, Support, Practice, Country:Northern Ireland, Region: Europe
The effects of prison visitation on recidivism
from the study released by the Minnesota Department of Corrections:
Following recent studies in Florida and Canada, this study examines the effects of prison visitation on recidivism among 16,420 offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2003 and 2007.
Feb 13, 2012 Region: North America and Caribbean, Country:USA, Community, Offender
