Accountability, responsibility, re-member, re-pair.
The five core principles; relationship, respect, responsibility, repair, reintegration.
Relationship
At the heart of every restorative justice process is a damaged relationship. The people or person who caused harm has negatively impacted the lives of real people and real communities. Without strong relationships, it becomes more difficult for us to lead fulfilling lives and create communities that we want to live in. Using the Restorative Justice we are able to mend these relationships. Once the people or person who caused harm becomes accountable for their actions and begins to make amends, the relationship can start to heal.
Respect
If relationships are at the heart of restorative justice, respect is the key ingredient to make it happen. Respect keeps the process safe. All involved parties are trusted to show respect for themselves and for others at all stages of the process.
Respect often shows up as an ability to listen without judgement. Hearing what the other person shares and leaving them space to do this honestly for them, is part of showing respect to that person regardless of our own assumptions about them.
Responsibility
In order for restorative justice to be effective, everyone must grapple with their own personal responsibility. Even if the harm was unintentional, the person who caused harm needs to take responsibility for their actions.
Ultimately, taking responsibility needs to be a personal choice and cannot be imposed on someone unwillingly.
Repair
After respect and responsibility have been established, the next step towards healing is the repair process. The person who caused harm is expected to repair the harm that they did to the fullest extent possible, knowing well that not all of the harm can be repaired. The repair principle replaces thoughts of revenge and punishment, instead focusing on moving forward in a more positive direction.
It is through working to repair the situation that the person who caused harm is able to regain their self-respect and respect for others.
Reintegration
In order to complete the process, the community allows the person who caused harm to accept responsibility and begin the reintegration process.
Reintegration encourages collaboration of the community and the person who caused harm.
This process recognizes the assets the person who caused harm brings to the table and what they have learned through the process.
By accepting responsibility and agreeing to repair the harm, the person who caused harm creates space and trust to be reintegrated into the community.
I have adapted these five points from text at the Conflict Center dot org. Feel free to find this and more there. They offer lots of classes and more, and are based in Denver.
I recently finished several weeks of anti racist, anti oppression training with Spark Insights collective.
I was moved and changed by the work we did as a collective, and really appreciated and felt the intention, intensity and energy of Zoe who designed and facilitated the sessions.
Something about the way they bought their all to holding a light on what are dark truths that allowed me to find that courage to see and review, despite the presence of the fear that shows up when I recognise my own complicity.
Thanks Zoe for your commitment and drive to see that through.
https://www.instagram.com/sparkcommunity._/
I learn lots about myself and lots about the ways we can all focus on what we may replace these broken oppressive ideologies and systems with by way of these positive examples around how our new futures may show up and include us all.
I trust some of this may be useful for you or for you to pass onto others.
Also, feel free to let me know how all or any of this landed with you, and share any links to stuff that keeps you going in this push towards change too.
Meanwhile, best wishes and solidarity, Mark T.