Page 127 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 10 February 2016
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Unit was launched. Eleven years later the success of this voluntary scheme and the unit has been firmly established. Ninety-seven per cent of participants expressed satisfaction with restorative justice processes and outcomes. Restorative justice has shown itself as a proven vehicle for meeting the needs of victims, offenders and their communities of care, achieving a 90 per cent compliance rate for offenders making reparation through shared agreements.
Now that a solid foundation of restorative justice practice has been built in our city, the government has made provision for the expansion of this scheme to phase 2, which will include adult offences and more serious matters for both adults and young people so that more victims of crime can have access to this scheme. In 2018 the scheme will also include domestic violence and sexual assault matters for eligible and suitable participants.
But beyond the justice system there is potential for restorative practices to expand also. Restorative practice can be defined as a whole community philosophy, an active philosophy, which places respectful relationships at the heart of justice, education and community services. It builds and maintains inclusive networks of positive relationships among community members and promotes mutual accountability and shared responsibility.
The many excited community members who attended the restorative communities conference last July have maintained their enthusiasm and have since convened to form Canberra’s Restorative Communities Network. They share a vision for the future that recognises that traditional approaches are not the only ones. This group is excited at the prospect of restorative practices being implemented across agencies and institutions, creating opportunities for positive shifts in the way we, as a community, respond to social challenges.
The outcomes we expect to see from a restorative communities approach include increased trust, inclusiveness, better communication, less crime, more victim-initiated and community-led approaches, improvements in relationships, reduced levels of exclusion, raised attainment, fewer family breakdowns and less workplace conflict. Taking a restorative approach can also promote greater social cohesion, greater understanding and respect.
The Restorative Communities Network and interested community members will be meeting regularly to consult about the potential for restorative practices in specific sites in our community. The first workshop will be held later this month and will focus on restorative practice in schools. This is a great place to start as schools are an important site of socialisation for young people. If children feel safe, cared about and supported they will be able to develop integrity, self-esteem, emotional awareness and assertiveness. They will develop relational skills that develop the capacity to be empathetic.
What the world definitely needs is a greater focus on restorative communities, one that sees men and women who are empathetic and strong, autonomous and connected, responsible to self, to family and friends and to society, who are capable of understanding how those responsibilities are, ultimately, inseparable.
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