January 16, 2013
A diverse RJ
RJ has long had an obstacle in that the practice was suitable for minor offenses but not for more serious and perhaps violent offences. These links take you to a couple of feminist viewpoints, briefly expressed but pointed, to explore the issues. The third link may well be misleading on the principles and practice of RJ but perhaps illustrative of the misconceptions that advocates of RJ face. Ackley’s commentary is prompted by the Grosmaire case.
Restorative justice in domestic violence cases is justice denied http://feimineach.com/2013/01/13/link-restorative-justice-in-domestic-violence-cases-is-justice-denied
Extraordinary Women – Shannon Skinner
Can Restorative Justice Work in Cases of Domestic Violence? http://www.extraordinarywomentv.com/topics/can-restorative-justice-work-in-cases-of-domestic-violence
WND Commentary – Michael Ackley
‘Restorative justice’: New media favourite http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/restorative-justice-new-media-favorite
Chilliwack Times (B.C.) – Tyler Olsen
A good first option
A three part series looking at RJ as it has been practice in this jurisdiction. In this second part, the suggestion is that RJ can benefit repeat offenders around shoplifting and not just first time offenders. The first part is somewhat elusive to search. The third part should follow? http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/news/good+first+option/7820814/story.html
Restorative Justice-on-line – Blogger Robert Wechlser
There are victims and therefore good reason why ordinary people should participate in the Ethics Commission, whoever the principal victim may be. There is always the need to repair the damage but often in ethical violations the officials themselves compose the commission and ignore the harm done in favour of procedural expediency, viewing the offence as exclusively against the government. http://www.restorativejustice.org/RJOB/restorative-justice-in-government-ethics The whole commentary: http://www.cityethics.org/content/restorative-justice-government-ethics
Cutting Edge Law – David Yamada
Restorative justice and workplace bullying
Yamada offers a synopsis of the Susan Duncan paper and a legal critique of what is still lacking in the use of RJ in workplace bullying. http://cuttingedgelaw.com/blog/restorative-justice-and-workplace-bullying Download for free the full article: Workplace Bullying and the Role Restorative Practices Can Play in Preventing and Addressing the Problem – Susan Duncan http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1916138
The Atlantic (US) – Lindsay Abrams
Violence and Mental Illness in Middletown, Connecticut
A small town in Connecticut experiences some tragic and violent events kinked with crime and mental illness. This article looks at the issues around the release of mental patients from mental hospitals and the expectation that other institutions will fill the void. The author also suggests that lots of people who are indifferent to adequate mental health services often need to be touched quite directly by personal crisis, such is our political disconnection from the systems and the holes in the systems. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/violence-and-mental-illness-in-middletown-connecticut/267094
Associated Press – Metro News (Kitchener-Waterloo)
Greek judge rules detainees’ jailbreak was justified
Greece has long been under criticism from the United Nations for the detention conditions under which detainees are help. “A spokeswoman for the United Nations refugee agency in Athens said it was a very significant first for a Greek court to acknowledge that people held in such conditions had no option but to try to escape.” http://metronews.ca/news/world/508784/greek-judge-rules-detainees-jailbreak-was-justified
Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald – Daniel Flitton
‘Squalid’ warning pre-dated riot
Living conditions in immigration detention are “squalid” and part of the reason for recent riots within the Northern Immigration Detention Center. A confidential report in August 2010 on the centre by the regional manager for operations, Julie Furby, says “”A substandard activity program which in no way keeps clients engaged /interested/busy. It does not keep their minds off the negatives or length of stay/miserable day-to-day conditions, and certainly does not tire them out enough to sleep well at night.” http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/squalid-warning-predated-riot-20130109-2cgq1.html#ixzz2I5EFM5Cn