Speaking about Restorative Justice, what one thing, is most important.

I’m struggling with what to say at tonights first fundraiser.  I know that I will have a demonstration towards the end.  I plan to make the ‘mic’ the talking piece, and have a few testimonials from the crowd.  I have a few people aware that the spontaneous opportunity will be presented.  I do believe I [...]

Restorative Justice for Victims and increased victim participation.

A few recent events pulled this post together.
1.) At the IIRP Conference, I teased the Prosecuter in attendance, asking him if he was lost.  It was just a little sarcasm about the different philosophies sometimes held by ‘prosecution’ and ‘restorative justice’.  I then shared with him how I appreciated prosecutors that took initiative in using [...]

Using Talking Circles to promote social justice.

 
At UWRF Restorative Justice is being used to address Social Justice issues.  Specifically talking circles, to promote discussion and inspire action.  The four phases of the Circle will work well for this.
Our final phase of Circle is ‘Taking Action’ and action promotes social justice.
This began back when I connected with campus activities and student services staff [...]

It never hurts to treat yourself restoratively. Restorative Justice requires introspection.

I recently cleaned out my nightstand drawer.  I thought the mix of items were really interesting, can I explain a few.
-The Mini Bottle of Sky vodka, upper right corner.  Demonstrates my protective parenting skills.  I found the vodka outside of our apartment building, right by the door.  Just laying in the grass, unopened.  It’s mine now. 
-The handcreams, [...]

Restorative Justice allows us to speak with wisdom and real-ness.

One of the phrases I typically say in trainings:  “Nothing new under the sun”.  My point is two-fold.  First Restorative Justice isn’t all that orginal,  its more of the orginal kindness people needed to survive.  It’s as old as the sun itself.  I believe Restorative Justice reconnects us to the past way of relating.
I make [...]

Developing belonging as a life skill and a restorative justice skill.

Lets put value on ‘belonging’.
Look at all the books on LOVE.  The efforts at PEACE.  Not to minimize the importance of either of these but what if we learned to make people feel like they BELONG.
What about embracing our own selves, and our own place in our community.
How do we nuture our own belonging.  How [...]

“no one person owns the truth” an aspect of restorative philosophy.

When facilitating a Circle, I try to always point out the Center.  I explain that we all see the same items, but we each have a different ‘perspective’.
Depending on the purpose of the Circle, I get more into explaining how no one person owns the truth.  When people sit around in Circle, in the round [...]

The individual relationships to restorative justice, a relationship that needs consideration.

I have blogged about relationships.  A lot.  Right now I have 87 posts in the Relationships category.  I’ve shared about my personal relationships and all the relationships restored by restorative justice.  I hope I’ve given you tools in seeing people in the context of their relationships.
Today’s blog is about being mindful of the relationship to [...]

When you want a relationship to be different it is.

I asked boyfriend where my anxiety went.  He said it ran off with his fear.
We had a good laugh. 
We both agreed those two, fear and anxiety running off together, helped us be in the relationship we have now.  The picture that popped in my head was two cartoon characters holding hands and running side-by-side off into [...]

The value of viewing people in the context of their relationships.

I am rereading Restorative Justice Transforming Societies.  I am teaching from this book, the University of Wisconsin River Falls, Special Topics course Intro to Restorative Justice.  As I read the book again, from just a year ago, I’ve been suprised at what I find interesting, or have more experience with that creates these “a-ha’s” for [...]