Nov

10

“I’m a Dominating Bully”

Posted by: Alan J. Borsuk | November 10, 2009 | 2 Comments

“I’m a dominating bully” — how often do you hear sentences like that? For that matter, how often do you hear the voices of teens, no matter what they are saying, at conferences aimed at dealing with issues involving young people?
The involvement of high school students as presenters at the sixth annual Restorative Justice Conference [...]

Nov

8

Bullying in Schools–Teaching Respect and Compassion Through Restorative Processes

Posted by: Janine P. Geske | November 8, 2009 | 3 Comments

All too often, we see and hear people trying to intimidate others-whether it involves politics, religion, driving habits, employment, sports, family or any other topic that creates conflict. Rather than civil and respectful discourse on tough topics, many routinely call each other derogatory names and describe the other as “evil,” “Hitler-like” “self-centered,” etc. We see [...]

Oct

29

Truth and Reconciliation, Stories from the Diaspora

Posted by: Jessica E. Slavin | October 29, 2009 | 2 Comments

Several months ago I blogged about the situation of Liberians who fled their country for the United States (but who did not receive official status as refugees) and who have lived here for years in a “temporary” status, while it remained unsafe to return to Liberia. As I explained in those posts, these US residents face [...]

Oct

1

Chilean Delegation Learns About the “Safe Streets” Program and Participates in a Circle

Posted by: Lisa J. Laplante | October 1, 2009 | 1 Comment

On Wednesday, the Chilean students began their day with Professor Irene Calboli, who spoke to them about the experience of being trained in a civil law tradition only then to work in a common law system.   The students also discovered a common interest in patent law and the conversation soon turned to that topic.
The Hurtado [...]

Sep

24

Go to Prison

Posted by: Andrea K. Schneider | September 24, 2009 | 2 Comments

Last week I had the honor of joining my colleague Janine Geske on her regular journey to Green Bay Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison reminiscent of the prison in Shawshank Redemption.  The prisoners at Green Bay run the gamut of serious crimes from sexual assault to drug distribution to armed robbery to homicide.  Janine runs [...]

Aug

18

Restorative Justice and the Big Tent

Posted by: Michael M. O'Hear | August 18, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I have a new paper on SSRN discussing some of the pitfalls that the restorative justice movement may encounter.  The paper responds to Professor Erik Luna’s essay “In Support of Restorative Justice.” Luna extolls the capacity of restorative justice practices to accommodate diverse theories of punishment, but I argue that such a “big tent” approach may [...]

Jul

31

The Beer Summit-A Restorative Justice Experience?

Posted by: Janine P. Geske | July 31, 2009 | 3 Comments

As I listened to the political pundits argue about the “beer summit” that occurred at the White House yesterday, I am amazed by the debate as to whether President Barrack Obama, Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Lieutenant James Crowley really gave us “a teachable moment.” There is no doubt in mind that they did. [...]

Jun

26

Duality or Trinity, Scales or Circles: What Approach for Justice in a New Generation?

Posted by: Rachel Monaco-Wilcox | June 26, 2009 | Leave a Comment

This week, I want to try to tie together some aspects of three experiences I recently had, and tell why I believe they reflect something about the evolving nature of justice at this point in human history.
A. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. and Jr.: A first generation poet; a second generation jurist. I was rooting around [...]

May

25

Repairing the Harm From Clergy Sex Abuse

Posted by: Janine P. Geske | May 25, 2009 | 5 Comments

For the last ten years I have worked in the field of restorative justice. My students, community members, and I, along with the survivors of crimes of severe violence, regularly participate in intensive three-day healing circles we conduct in maximum-security prisons. Our MULS Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI) also facilitates victim/offender dialogues in very serious cases. [...]

Mar

19

Drug Courts, Racial Disparities, and Restorative Justice

Posted by: Michael M. O'Hear | March 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment

I have a new paper on SSRN dealing with drug courts, focusing particularly on their (poor) prospects as a mechanism to address racial disparities in the prison population.  Here is the abstract:
Specialized drug treatment courts have become a popular alternative to more punitive approaches to the “war on drugs,” with nearly 2,000 such courts now [...]

Mar

3

Restorative Justice for Bernie Madoff?

Posted by: Andrea K. Schneider | March 3, 2009 | 1 Comment

As we continue to deal with the likes of Bernie Madoff and other swindlers who have lost millions of dollars for their investors, perhaps Elie Wiesel has a good idea on how to punish all of them. Holocaust survivor, human rights activist and author Elie Wiesel lost his entire life savings with Madoff. [...]

Oct

4

Milwaukee’s Safe Streets Initiative

Posted by: Michael M. O'Hear | October 4, 2008 | Leave a Comment

An interesting new website describes the activities of Milwaukee’s Safe Streets Initiative, an innovative antiviolence program involving Marquette Law School, local and federal law enforcement authorities, and community organizations and volunteers.  The SSI represents an effort to bring principles of restorative justice to bear in mobilizing high-crime communities against gang- and drug-related violence.  The core of the program [...]

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