Project Description
Restorative justice has been part of Canada’s criminal justice system for over 40 years. Restorative justice is based on an understanding that crime is a violation of people and relationships. The principles of restorative justice are based on respect, compassion and inclusivity. Restorative justice encourages meaningful engagement and accountability and provides an opportunity for healing, reparation and reintegration. Restorative justice processes take various forms and may take place at all stages of the criminal justice system. Department of Justice; Gov’t of Canada
Many professionals and criminal justice representatives are challenged to consider how restorative justice is best applied within their respective discipline while remaining relatable and beneficial to other disciplines / groups. By elevating our understanding beyond the limiting factors of exclusion, control and punishment of a single offender, a successful restorative justice approach is capable of empowering people impacted by an offence while developing community resources to reduce risk and create change. Participants in this presentation will learn how restorative justice can move beyond a philosophy and become actionable.
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate a defensible biopsychosocial-spiritual model for restorative justice.
- Provide exploratory methods to determine capacity, functioning and amenability of people impacted, offenders and resources.
- Increase decision-making and understanding of restorative plans that are relevant and holding of all parties.
- Increase problem-solving skills in contending with individual / group profiles that may work counter to a restorative plan.
- Identify restorative training and development opportunities for families and community resources.