Popular Topics
Looking for something in particular? This page may help. We've determined the most popular topics based on what is accessed on this website, and listed them here with links to a variety of resources. It's our hope that summarizing these resources will make accessibility easier.
If there's a topic you'd like to see on this page, please don't hesitate to e-mail Kevin at cfrj@sfu.ca with your idea.
If there's a topic you'd like to see on this page, please don't hesitate to e-mail Kevin at cfrj@sfu.ca with your idea. Page contents:
Introduction to Restorative Justice
Aboriginal Roots/Aboriginal Justice
Youth Justice
Domestic Violence/Power Imbalance
Restorative Justice in Schools
Evaluation of RJ Programs
Restorative Responses to Civil Unrest
Introduction to Restorative Justice
Restorative Justice is an old idea with a new name. Its roots can be found in Aboriginal healing traditions and the non-retaliatory responses to violence endorsed by many faith communities.
It represents a return of the simple wisdom of viewing conflict as an opportunity for a community to learn and grow. It operates on the premise that conflict, even criminal conflict, inflicts harm, and therefore individuals must accept responsibility for repairing that harm. Communities are empowered to choose their response to conflict. Victims, offenders and communities actively participate in devising mutually beneficial solutions, and implementing those solutions. Conflicts are resolved in a way that restores harmony in the community members’ relationships, and allows people to continue to live together in a safer, healthy environment.
Papers introducing restorative justice (full text):
What is Restorative Justice? - Eric Gilman
A Charter for Practitioners of Restorative Justice - Eric Stutzman and Alana Abramson
Restorative Values: Where Means and Ends Converge - Jarem Sawatsky
Papers introducing restorative justice in Canada (full text):
The Restorative Approach - Marc Forget
Restorative Justice: A Summary - Centre for Restorative Justice
Story of Reconciliation: Victim Offender Reconciliation Program > In the Beginning - Russ Kelly
Aboriginal Roots/ Aboriginal Justice
The roots of the modern restorative justice movement are derived from many social, theological and philosophical movements; it is generally and respectfully acknowledged that restorative practices strive to embody the values and principles that are akin to and informed by holistic peace and justice-making processes in many Aboriginal communities. Many Aboriginal cultures worldwide have generously offered their wisdom and teachings to this growing field of understanding.
A common misconception exists that restorative justice and Aboriginal justice are synonymous and that all First Nations peoples should and will embrace existing restorative justice models and practices used by settlement communities. Although there are some overlaps and superficial similarities, Aboriginal justice processes are additionally grounded in nation-specific traditions with structural linkages of accountability and responsibility that differ considerably from its “restorative” counterpart.
Aboriginal justice processes, by contrast, are processes that embrace both the notion of holistic peace and justice-making, and the fundamental right of self-determination. There are many different First Nations in Canada, for example, and each may have a unique and traditional understanding of what the experience of justice in their community should be. Through the right of self-determination, Aboriginal peoples have the right to define what their collective experiences of justice will be, which is fundamental to the framework of Aboriginal Justice processes.
Resources gathered through the Centre for Restorative Justice attempt to honour and explore some of the topics that arise from this understanding. We welcome feedback and information from our Aboriginal partners in this related work, and hope that our efforts to support this exploration is understood in the spirit of peoples walking along a path together, learning from one another. Resources related to Aboriginal Justice and Aboriginal Roots include:
Papers on Aboriginal Roots/Aboriginal Justice (full text):
Saskatchewan Corrections and Public Safety (Young Offenders Programs) and Saskatchewan Justice - Tammy Kirkland, Peter Braun
Sentencing Circles for Aboriginal in Canada: Furthering the Idea of Aboriginal Justice Within a Western Justice Framework - Melanie Spiteri
Whu Neeh Nee (Guiders of Our People) - Carrier and Sekani First Nations Family Law Alternative Dispute Resolution Research Project - Warner Adam, Travis Holyk, Perry Shawana
Wet’suwet’en Unlocking Aboriginal Justice - Bonnie George
Indigenous Children and the Criminal Justice System - John Boersig
Pushing Back - A Response To the Drive for the Standardization of Restorative Justice Programs in Canada - Jonathan Rudin
'Searching for the Bone Needle': The Sto:lo Nation's Continuing Quest for Justice - Wenona Victor
Alter-Natives to Non-Violence Initiative - Cal Albright, George Badger
R. v. Gladue, [1999] 1.S.C.R. 688 - Lamer C.J. and L'Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, Cory, Iacobucci, Bastarache and Binnie JJ.
Links:
Aboriginal/Indigenous Links courtesy of Ted Palys
Youth Justice
Youth Criminal Justice Act
The Youth Criminal Justice Act was passed by Canada's Parliament in 2002, becoming effective on April 1st, 2003. The purpose of the act is to set out the principles, rules and procedures for young persons who come into conflict with the law. It applies to laws about criminal conduct passed by the government of Canada, such as the Criminal Code of Canada and the Narcotics Act.
The new Act replaces the Young Offenders Act and aims to promote accountability, responsibility, and meaningful consequences for youth crimes, support long-term, sustainable solutions, be more consistent with national and international human rights, and promote a more flexible and streamlined youth justice system. (source: Department of Justice Canada)
Recent papers on the new legislation (full text):
Youth Criminal Justice Act and Restorative Justice - Serge Charbonneau
Conferencing and the Youth Criminal Justice Act - Marilou Reeve
The Youth Criminal Justice Act: Implementing Restorative Provisions - Trent Van Helvoirt
Restorative Justice and the Youth Criminal Justice Act - Hilary Linton
Powerpoint presentation on YCJA comparing to other youth acts, outlining basic principles: Canadian Legislation (requires Adobe Acrobat). - Alan Markwart
News article (July 18th, 2003): Fewer youths jailed under new law - Tom Blackwell
Youth Justice
Papers on youth justice (full text):
Myths and Realities about Youth Crime - Des Connor
An Evaluation of the Whitehorse Youth Justice Panel, Yukon, Canada - Charles Stuart and Jennifer Eakins
Restitution Implemented in Saanich School District #63 - Pat MacGregor
Representing a Child in Adult Criminal Court - Malcolm C. Young
Restorative Justice Interventions for Juvenile Offenders: A Research Agenda for the Next Decade - Mara F. Schiff
Saskatchewan Corrections and Public Safety (Young Offenders Programs) and Saskatchewan Justice - Tammy Kirkland and Peter Braun
R. v. Jacob, 2002 YKTC 15 - Barry Stuart
Restorative Justice in the youth probation service in Israel - Saray Grabli
Evaluating Conferencing for Serious Juvenile Delinquents - Inge Vanfraechem
Achieving Effective Outcomes in Youth Justice: Implications of new research for Principles, Policy and Practice - Gabrielle Maxwell
News articles:
August 30th, 2002: Teen faces victims of N.S. train wreck - CBC News
August 23rd, 2002: Youth justice: How it works
Links:
The Youth Restorative Justice Directory
Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Association
Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
Domestic Violence/ Power Imbalance
Papers on domestic violence (full text):
Domestic Violence and Restorative Justice: Advancing the Dialogue - Alan Edwards and Jennifer Haslett
Restorative Justice and Family Violence: A community-based effort to move from theory to practice - Lana Maloney and Graham Reddoch
Additional papers available to be borrowed at the Centre:
Restorative Justice in Cases of Domestic Violence: Healing Justice? - Stephanie Coward (call number: 210.12.02)
Circles of Support & Accountability: Rebuilding Community for High Risk Sexual Offenders - Robin J. Wilson, Andrew McWhinnie and Hugh Kirkegaard (call number: 210.12.04)
The Class Politics of Domestic Violence - John P. McKendy (call number: 310.10.04)
Restorative Justice in Schools
Papers on restorative justice in schools (full text):
Ethical Alignments: Teaching Restorative Justice Using Problem-Based Learning - Evelyn Zellerer
Promoting School Connectedness: Evidence from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health - Clea A. McNeely, James M. Nonnemaker and Robert W. Blum
Improving the Odds: The Untapped Power of Schools to Improve the Health of Teens - Robert W. Blum, Clea McNeely and Peggy Mann Rinehart
School Safety Survey: Comparing Public Middle Schools to Community Service Foundation Restorative Alternative Schools - Paul McCold
Safe Schools: Strategies for a Changing Culture - Catherine Bargen
Restitution Implemented in Saanich School District #63 - Pat MacGregor
A Restorative Response to Harm in School - Mennonite Central Committee
Additional papers available to be borrowed at the Centre:
Contextualizing the Barriers of Restorative Justice in Schools: Perspectives from Within the School System - Vivianne Samycia (call number: 210.02.05)
RJ in the Chicago Public Schools System - Patricia Ann Zamora (call number: 210.02.07)
Restorative Justice in Public Schools - Marc Forget (call number: 210.02.09)
Liberating Empowerment in Public Schools: A Comparative Study of Two Violence Prevention Programs in British Columbia - Barbara Everdene (call number: 210.02.12)
Restorative Justice in School Communities - David R. Karp and Beau Breslin (call number: 210.02.16)
Restorative Justice in Schools - Meredith Egan and Marc Forget (call number: 210.02.20)
Evaluation of RJ Programs
Papers evaluating RJ Programs (full text):
Restorative Justice: An Evaluation of the Restorative Resolutions Project - James Bonta, Suzanne Wallace-Capretta and Jennifer Rooney
Experiments in Restorative Policing - Lawrence Sherman, Heather Strang, Geoffrey Barnes and John Braithwaite
An Evaluation of AVP Workshops in Aotearoa/New Zealand - Brian Phillips
The Restorative Justice Model and its Corruption: An Outlook at the Canadian Experience - Tineke Vaes
A Study of the Effectiveness of Alternatives to Violence Workshops in a Prison System - Stan Sloane
Restorative Justice in Cases of Serious Crime: An Evaluation - Tanya A. Rugge and Robert B. Cormier
An Evaluation of the Whitehorse Youth Justice Panel, Yukon, Canada - Charles Stuart and Jennifer Eakins
Restorative Probation in Franklin County, Massachusetts - Molly Ryan Strehorn
Sentencing Circles for Aboriginal in Canada: Furthering the Idea of Aboriginal Justice Within a Western Justice Framework - Melanie Spiteri
Restorative Responses to Civil Unrest
Papers on restorative responses to civil unrest (full text):
When the Enemy Comes Home: Restoring Justice After Mass Atrocity - Laura Stovel
Between War and Peace: An Examination of Conflict Management Styles in Four Ethnic Conflict Zones - Brian Polkinghorn and Sean Bryne
Restorative Justice in the youth probation service in Israel - Saray Grabli
Restorative Justice and Transformation Under Fire in Soweto, South Africa - George Lai Thom
An American Nightmare: From Slavery to Mass Imprisonment in the United States - Randeep Singh Chauhan
War: A Call to Inner Life - The Bruderhof Foundation, Inc.
Restorative Reintegration - Wayne Northey
Additional papers and books available to be borrowed at the Centre:
Why Forgive? - Johann Christoph Arnold (call number: 130.06.01)
Criminology as Peacemaking - Harold E. Pepinsky and Richard Quinney (eds.) (call number: 210.08.03.04)
Solomon Islands Conflict: demands for historical rectification and restorative justice - John Houainamo Naitoro (call number: 760.01)
Conferencing and Mediation: Doing justice in a split community - Uri Yanay (call number: 210.07.09)
No Future Without Forgiveness - Desmond Tutu (call number: 130.06.02)
Women's Meanings of Peacebuilding in Post-Apartheid South Africa - Susan McKay and Cheryl de la Ray (call number: 130.22.02)
Doing Justice Without the State: The Afikpo (Ehugbo) Nigeria Model of Conflict Resolution - Ogbonnaya Oko Elechi (call number: 200.08)
Healing the Wounds of the Ogonis in Nigeria - Linus Malu (call number: 250.60.02)
The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a Therapeutic Tool - Alfred Allan and Marietjie M. Allan (call number: 520.02)
Story of Reconciliation: Total Loss - Saray Grably