Search results for category: Community ActionKim Workman, the national director of the Prison Fellowship, a Christian ministry to prisons, is made a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for services to prison welfare. In his career in the public service, he rose in 1992 to assistant secretary (penal institutions) in the Department of Justice, and oversaw a major review of prisons. He was joint winner of the International Prize for Restorative Justice in 2005.
Adrian Alexander produces an informative monthly e-newlsetter with news and stories about restorative developments in his native Trinidad and Tobago and other parts of the Caribbean.
“Young people are not just scared of bullies or gangs but of the criminal justice system and the police. Some don't feel they need to report crimes as they have a good relationship with parents or teachers but they need to be more aware of the support that is available. It is important that young people have services tailored to their needs and not just help that replicates the help that is available to adults.”
4. Restorative Justice Programs and Alternative Sentencing: Simply locking up criminals drains the financial resources of the state and has not reduced crime. Kevin Gallagher will push to give judges the flexibility to order alternative punishments for crimes. He will also work for more restorative justice programs where victims have a say in sentencing and criminals have to work to repair the damage they caused.
Note: It is nice to see long-time restorative justice advocates being acknowledged for their pioneering work. Ron Claassen is one of the best! Congratulations.
Restorative justice is sometimes equated with community service penalties imposed by a court. While there can be a restorative dimension to community service, when it is judicially imposed it is unlikely to have the impact on victims and offenders that come from restorative encounters. That seems to be what the town of Weston is discovering
Auckland City Council has two levels of tree protection, with the highest protection is given to trees which have historic, botanical or cultural value and the council also had general tree protection rules. Ms Wilkinson said as a general rule, if a tree was about the size of a two-storey house then it was likely to be covered by the general tree protection rules. "The bigger trees get, the more benefits they provide not only for the property owner but the whole community and city, so it is very important to ensure that we protect and enhance the city's trees."
In Uganda, the ICC is now directly confronting a question many believed was inevitable: will it continue prosecuting serious crimes if it becomes an obstacle to peace? Having issued indictments against the LRA commanders in October 2005, the court still has none of them in custody. Although he initially referred the LRA cases to the ICC, Uganda’s President Museveni then proposed amnesties for the commanders instead, to encourage the LRA to talk peace. The ICC warrants can’t simply be withdrawn, however, and options are now being explored for a compromise whereby the Ugandan courts rather than the ICC would take up the baton and proceed with what may be watered-down charges.
Communities of faith are in a unique position to offer support to crime victims. Victims often seek comfort and spiritual guidance from religious leaders in the aftermath of crime.
For the twelfth year, visitors from dozens of nations gathered on a May morning at Eastern Mennonite University to begin sharing their efforts toward peace. The 2007 Summer Peacebuilding Institute, a program of EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, opened May 7 with 82 enrollees from 34 nations. All have experience in peacebuilding, human rights and relief programs. Many are sponsored by their own organizations.
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