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Hello,
I'm a relative newcomer to Idaho -- our family has been in the area
for about two years and I landed in Moscow 18 months ago. I've been gently
nudged toward opening this dialogue in this forum of "visionaries".
As a small handful of you know I work with a nonprofit, grassroots
corporation known as the Council on Reconciliation and Restorative and
Transformative Justice. CORRTJ works across North America in communities
where members of our Board of Directors live and a few select other places
as well.
First, allow me to offer a glimpse of this new community vision.
Restorative Justice offers a new paradigm through which victims and
offenders work together to heal the harm of crime and conflict. Professor
and author Howard Zehr writes that in our current model of criminal or
retributive justice "crime is a violation of the state, defined by
lawbreaking and guilt. Justice determines blame and administers pain in a
contest between the offender and the state directed by systematic rules."
Zehr goes on to say about restorative justice "Crime is a violation of
people and relationships. It creates obligations to make things right.
Justice involves the victim, offender, and the community in a search for
solutions which promote repair, reconciliation and reassurance."
Restorative justice is based around a core set of principles and values
which include (but are not limited to: restitution; accountability to the
community and victim; apologies; forgiveness; peace, justice, mercy, and
reintegration into the community for victims and offenders. Restorative
justice programs have been used effectively in everything from schoolyard
bullying to murder. Programs under the restorative justice umbrella
include victim offender dialogue; victim offender mediation;family group
conferencing; sentencing circles; peace circles; prison ministries and
various mentoring programs. In short there are now throw away youth in a
community where restorative justice is used as the first option and is
owned by the community.
Idaho has the third fastest growing prison population and is still
seeking monies for new prisons. These are funds that could (should) be
going to schools, health care, tax cuts, etc. Research shows that
restorative justice reduces levels of recidivism, costs less than
retributive justice, has a higher rate of approval for victims and
offenders than our traditional system. Restorative justice offers intimate
healing for communities but only if the communities are willing to come
together and accept each other for who they are: good and bad.
Over the last several months I have had a chance to meet with several
local politicians and leaders within the Idaho and Washington Justice
Agencies. Especially in the Idaho the response has been overwhelming
positive. Many of these leaders understand we cannot continue the path we
are on but they are concerned the community is not aware or concerned
enough to make tough choices and accept ownership of restorative justice.
Judge Barry Stuart puts it very directly when he says, "When is the last
time you heard someone say I have too much power. Here, you have some."
Believe it or not that is happening in communities across North America
and the door is open for it to happen in Idaho. The Idaho Department of
Juvenile Corrections is founded on a principle of Balanced and Restorative
Justice (I believe they are sincere in their efforts); Idaho Youth Ranch
and various other agencies around the state have expressed a willingness
to develop profound partnerships within their communities. The way we do
justice is changing. Perhaps never before have the average citizens been
given a chance to make a positive influence rather than protest. The voice
of the community and is being heard, but it needs to get louder and
clearer.
I would like to hear from members of this community about your vision
of what restorative justice might look like in Moscow, Latah County, etc.
We have a lot of videos and educational programs on restorative justice
for groups and individuals who are interested in learning much more. We
have a small team of community volunteers who are trained and working and
we are anxious to get even more. We do accept referrals from the community
and that is something we can talk with people about on a case by
case bases if people are interested in pursuing such an avenue.
I am very interested in hearing all comments, concerns, hopes and fears
and will provide my phone number at the end of this post for those who are
interested.
I am headed to the City Meeting this will wrap soon. I just want to
encourage folks who are shy to send me notes off line; call; send smoke
signals or whatever else works for you. Your comments are important to us
and will be very helpful as we continue the process of developing
community restorative justice.
Here are some questions to get it started:
1. How satisfied are you with justice in your community?
2. How would describe your feelings of trust with and overall job
performance of your local police.
3. Are the schools in your community safe? Are they just in the
process of discipline?
4. How would you define the term "Community" when used as community
ownership?
5. Do you feel as though you know and care about the people in your
community?
6. What would it take for you to make an investment in community
building such as becoming a restorative justice faciltiator?
7. Anything else you would like to tell us.
Again, there are multiple forums that we can dialogue in. Feel free
to call me at (208) 882-5416.
Thanks
Tony C. Brown
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