Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a training on Restorative Conferencing. Restorative Conferencing is one of several different methods to restorative practices. Based on the practices of the indigenous people of New Zealand known as the Maori people, this model focuses on resolving conflict and promoting healing, community building and accountability in the face of harm. Restorative Justice is necessary because of the unaccountable, community dividing, isolating, and centering-on-the-action-instead-focusing-on-the-harm-that-has-been-caused-as-a-result-of-the-action practices our current justice system holds. Not to mention, the whole of host of issues that currently plague our justice system (i.e. the racist, sexist, classist, homophobic, transphobic, for-profit Prison Industrial Complex and the fact that we have the most incarcerated folks in the WORLD). These practices are also commonly utilized in school systems to counteract the counter-productive disciplinary actions. How are these two conflict-“resolution” systems connect to each other? What does justice mean to you? What does justice look like? Feel like? Is justice punishment? If so, why? What are the goals of our justice system? Does it meet those goals?
These are a few of the questions we were ask to ponder during these training. My answer is still developing, but the only phrase that I could come up with was: “Justice is Healing.” How can I make this philosophy surrounding justice a reality for the communities and organizations I am a part of. As a trained facilitator of restorative conferencing, I can help to really make a difference in how people around view justice and help to resolve conflicts to promote the idea: “Justice is Healing” and continue to ponder over these difficult questions. This journey has been one of deconstruction and remembering. These practices are not new, but have been forgotten.
I also met so many wonderful people: educators, mediators, community leaders, religious leaders, concerned parents, conflict resolution specialists, psychologists, and students. It was a wonderful experience being in a room with so many people, each with their own story and their reasons for being there, and having deep meaningful healing conversations and training, while also creating a community of support, love, and action.
If wants to learn more about restorative justice or even just discuss these issues, let me know! It’s been on my mind constantly and would love to talk to someone about it.
