Restorative Justice and other thoughts

If you feel like puking reading the first part of this, just go to the end of this blog.

"Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders.

Practices and programs reflecting restorative purposes will respond to crime by:

1. identifying and taking steps to repair harm,
2. involving all stakeholders, and
3. transforming the traditional relationship between communities and their governments in responding to crime.

Some of the programs and outcomes typically identified with restorative justice include:

• Victim offender mediation
• Conferencing
• Circles
• Victim assistance
• Ex-offender assistance
• Restitution
• Community service

Three principles form the foundation for restorative justice:

1. Justice requires that we work to restore those who have been injured.
2. Those most directly involved and affected by crime should have the opportunity to participate fully in the response if they wish.
3. Government's role is to preserve a just public order, and the community's is to build and maintain a just peace.

Restorative programs are characterized by four key values:

1. Encounter: Create opportunities for victims, offenders and community members who want to do so to meet to discuss the crime and its aftermath
2. Amends: Expect offenders to take steps to repair the harm they have caused
3. Reintegration: Seek to restore victims and offenders to whole, contributing members of society
4. Inclusion: Provide opportunities for parties with a stake in a specific crime to participate in its resolution

In some way, this sounds like mediators for divorcees, that are seeking to create a "false" harmony and agreement between two people who could not work it out while married, and certainly are not going to work it out while hating each other. I have always felt like this is some kind of bullying (having been the victim of this type of shit) and in its political correctness pretty much makes me want to VOMIT.

And here is the critical term: "Seek to restore victims and offenders to whole, contributing members of society"...as if any of us or them have been whole, contributing members of society...that is the big assumption that is just plain wrong...so hang me for my damned political incorrectness. And go restore yourself.