Introduction to Stories of Reconciliation
“Hurt happens, so how can we best respond to them? Families and communities can’t afford to do nothing – to let offenders, victims and their families, friends and communities carry on the hurt of crime indefinitely. From both experiencing hurt and observing others struggle with it, we individually and as a culture are learning that holding onto emotional damage isn’t healthy. Walls go up, masks go on, misunderstandings escalate, as hearts harden and close. Unhealed wounds fester, causing bad feelings to eat away at people and destroy relationships. Millennia ago, the Gospel of St. Thomas named this danger: ‘If you fail to bring forth what is within you, what you fail to bring forth will destroy you.’”
from Peacemaking Circles – from Crime to Community
Kay Pranis, Barry Stuart, Mark Wedge
Living Justice Press
(2003)
One of the challenges people face when working in this field is conveying to others the underlying principles and values of restorative justice. Combining this demanding task with clearly explaining the mechanisms and models of restoration adds to the complexity of the challenge.
Sharing stories of reconciliation, on the other hand, allows us to reach out to the humanity in one another. Through sharing our stories, we can better understand why individuals and communities choose restorative approaches rather than punitive responses to tragedy and harm. It provides for us a common language of understanding that then allows us to have respectful conversations about the philosophy of restoration.
We are pleased to provide space on our site for individuals to share their stories of restoration. We expect to upload new stories from time to time, so check back often. We hope that this will provide for you and your community an opportunity for respectful conversations about restorative justice.
These stories belong to these people; they retain full rights to them and are afforded the respect of editing or removing their stories at any time from this site. Where we are asked, we sometimes help in the telling, but full editorship belongs with the individuals. Please respect their stories, and share them with dignity, and only with permission.
If you wish to share your story of restoration, please contact us at brendam@sfu.ca
Stories of Reconciliation
Katy’s story
Click here to read Katy's story - Katy Hutchinson's story of the tragic murder of her husband, Bob McIntosh, clearly demonstrates the courage and insight, as well as the values and beliefs, required of those who choose to live their lives restoratively. We are grateful to Katy for allowing us to share her story here.
Kathy’s story
Click here to read Kathy's story - Kathy Larson, B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed. Psych., brings more than traditional training to her workshops on coping with grief. An educator and counselor for more than two decades, Kathy’s personal journey through the grief process was the result of an unexpected and tragic event. On May 14, 1998, a disgruntled employee murdered Kathy’s husband, Bill D. Larson, Human Resources Director at Grace General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada). For the next three years, Kathy coped not only with her own grief but also with the pain of her three sons.
Now, Kathy Larson embarks on a new stage of her journey – a stage of sharing. Her background, experience, personal strength and profound sense of spiritual awakening combine to make Kathy a gifted and inspirational speaker.
Russ’ story
Click here to read Russ' story - Russ Kelly is a close friend of the Centre and is recognized as being the first offender in Canada to enter a restorative process in 1974. The success of this experimental alternative to incarceration was the starting point of restorative justice in Canada. We are proud to include Russ' story on our website.
Laura’s story
Click here to read Laura's story. - Laura Chico shares with us her story of an AVP workshop she observed in Rwanda.
Saray’s story
Click here to read Saray's story. - Saray Grably writes on her unique perspectives as a facilitator from Israel. We are pleased to share her restorative experiences working with youth in a country with military unrest.
Doug’s story
Click here to read Doug's story. - Doug Borch offers a quick story from his experience working with Children & Youth Services in Calgary.
Stories from Community Justice Initiatives of Waterloo Region
Click here to read this story - This story illustrates that members of the community and volunteers are willing to participate in a restorative justice approach even though this can involve a fair amount of time and effort.
Click here to read this story - In the spring of 2004 a large employer, with deep roots in the local community, asked CJI to assist resolving an employee-based conflict.