Restorative Practice Resources Tagged With: repair

At its heart, restorative justice requires both parties working together to better understand each other’s needs and motivations in order to repair their relationship, find forgiveness, heal the harm done and find a peaceful resolution. This does not mean that perpetrators are absolved with a pardon.

The restorative lens also requires the wider community, who are indirectly impacted by the harm, to come together and offer support for this healing journey while ensuring the underlying needs/grievances that caused such harm are minimised. Likewise, communities engaged in the process learn to replace punishment with healing, hatred with forgiveness. This allows the space required to overcome shame, intimidation and judgement for both victim and offender, while facilitating the restoration of harmed relationships.

'Fleming is also sceptical of the benefits of legislative change to address the issue. But instead of an app she believes Australia should move towards a restorative justice model to address sexual assault matters.

Restorative justice is not a new concept but it gained fresh relevance during the MeToo movement in the US. It can encompass a variety of survivor-led actions to repair the harm caused by a sexual assault, including sometimes bringing the accuser and the accused together “to discuss what happened, what needs to happen, and find a way of healing or reparations”.'

'Howard Zehr is considered “the grandfather of restorative justice.”

Zehr describes about the four key components:

“Apology may be difficult but the formula is quite simple: an apology requires us to '

1. name and take responsibility for the harm,

2. acknowledge that it was wrong,

3. express our regret for our actions and their effects, and

4. seek to prevent such wrongs in the future.”

The restorative justice framework adds a fifth piece to an apology which involves seeking to repair harm to the extent it is possible.'

'A restorative justice approach works to repair harm and strengthen communities where wrong has occurred. It seeks to meet the needs of those harmed, while also considering the causes of the wrongful behavior in order to promote accountability and growth for the one who caused harm. This highly experiential workshop utilizes a trauma-informed approach, and provides frameworks for identifying and responding to the needs of all those who were impacted by the wrong. Participants will be trained in the philosophy of restorative justice and will learn the foundational skills for facilitating encounters that lead to restorative outcomes.'

'Restorative practice is a strategy that seeks to repair relationships that have been damaged, including those damaged through bullying. It does this by bringing about a sense of remorse and restorative action on the part of the person who has bullied someone and forgiveness by the person who has been bullied. Once identified, the students who have been bullying meet with the Restorative practitioner and other students who have been selected because they are expected to be supportive of the person who has been bullied (who is not present). Knowledge of the distress experienced by the person is shared with the group and each member is required to accept responsibility and say how he or she will help that person. The outcome is monitored.'

'Victims get the opportunity to have their say in a safe forum, both about how they were affected and what they want to see happen to repair the harm. Family and other supporters also get to talk about what has happened to them as a result of the incident, and then take part in deciding in what needs to be done. The offender is confronted, often for the first time, with how their behaviour has affected others, including their own families. They take responsibility for their behaviour and are not allowed to walk away from the community of people they have hurt. Relationships are strengthened and extended, and they are given the opportunity to find a way to be accepted back into the community. Everyone at the conference learns from the experience and often there are dramatic behaviour changes.'

'A victim might not want a jail term for an offender. She might desire an outcome that could range from apology to financial restitution, coupled with a sentence for the offender that could be community service or therapy. This does not mean victims must forgive those who have harmed them. It’s also not about prioritising offenders’ futures, in the way that courts have historically exonerated men. It is about viewing assault as harm done to an individual by an offender — both of whom exist in a community – and asking how to repair the harm, and best reintegrate the victim and the offender into the community. This kind of process is described as restorative justice. Restorative processes involve those harmed by the offence in figuring out how to repair the harm. The aim is to hold the offender accountable in a meaningful way, and prevent reoffence and sexual violence in the long term. '

'Students who attend Mille Lacs Academy undergo treatment regarding mental health, and the school provides a learning environment for the adolescents. Restorative justice is an approach that’s being used at Mille Lacs Academy School that stands in stark contrast to the zero tolerance policies that, until recently, permeated throughout schools. Restorative justice focuses on the students who caused harm accepting responsibility and making restitutions with students or staff.'

'Restorative justice (RJ) has become increasingly accepted in schools worldwide as an effective way to build, maintain and repair student relationships and to deal with student conflict, harm and behavioural issues. It is rare, however, to find schools that utilise RJ to deal with adult relational and behavioural issues. Drawing on a case study in a Canadian school, this paper explores this hypocritical application of RJ, when teachers are not called to practice what they are teaching. '

'Restorative justice encompasses a wide range of practices and approaches that focus on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. These practices have expanded rapidly and now involve multiple models and approaches, including victim-offender conferences; group conferences, which can include family members, friends, and others in the community; and “peacemaking circles,” a process adapted from ancient tribal conflict-resolution rituals. “When properly defined and practiced, restorative justice programs can guide effective youth interventions, repair harm to victims, and enhance public safety,” said OJJDP Administrator Caren Harp. “However, the juvenile justice field generally operates without an agreed-upon definition of restorative justice or a plan for implementation.”'

In a joint blog and video, OJJDP Administrator Caren Harp and Children's Bureau Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner discuss how both agencies are partnering to promote the safety and well-being of children and families in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and throughout the year.

Join us for an enlightening presentation by JCU Lecturer, Filitsa Kounias, as she sheds light on the profound potential of Restorative Justice to revolutionise our society. This presentation will delve into Restorative Justice principles and practices as they come to life within the captivating realm of Youth Justice. Filitsa will explore the ability of Restorative Justice to foster empathy, repair harm and rebuild relationships. By prioritising dialogue, healing and accountability over punitive measures, restorative justice presents a unique approach that empowers individuals and communities to collectively address conflicts and injustices. Don't miss the chance to be part of this seminar and look at this fascinating approach to achieving justice.

Presentation replay

Monday 28 August 2023, 3.00pm - 4.00pmWhere: Bld 028, Room 002, JCU Townsville, Bebegu Yumba Campus, Douglas Join us for an enlightening presentation by JCU Lecturer, Filitsa Kounias, as she sheds light on the profound potential of Restorative Justice to revolutionise our society. This presentation....

Restorative practice is a strategy that seeks to repair relationships that have been damaged, including those damaged through bullying. It does this by bringing about a sense of remorse and restorative action on the part of the offender and forgiveness by the victim.

Restorative practice seeks to repair relationships that have been damaged through bullying.

'At its heart, restorative justice requires both parties working together to better understand each other’s needs and motivations in order to repair their relationship, find forgiveness, heal the harm done and find a peaceful resolution. This does not mean that perpetrators are absolved with a pardon.'

News and Press Release in English on World about Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding; published on 28 Sep 2023 by Peace Direct

According to Julia Wade, Ed.D., associate director of restorative practices, restorative justice processes are guided by three questions: What happened? Who is affected? How and what can be done to repair the harm?

Modern restorative justice practices originate from various African and indigenous traditions of “sitting in a circle, telling stories, sharing wisdom, making decisions that a group needs to make and … addressing harm or holding people accountable if something has happened in the community," said Wade.

Rooted in African and indigenous practices, Restorative Justice Week centers around victims instead of perpetrators, working to repair harm and build community ties.