Restorative Justice

The Power of Restorative Justice

By Barb Toews, Restorative Justice Program Manager

The following column is reprinted with permission from Correctional Forum (September 2002), a quarterly publication of the Pennsylvania Prison Society.

The Pennsylvania Prison Society is committed to advocating for a humane, just and restorative correctional system, and promoting a rational approach to crime. As an offender advocacy agency, the Prison Society is in a unique position

The Prison Society's Restorative Justice Program is currently focused on understanding the role of restorative justice in prison and how the philosophy can be used to provide services and resources for incarcerated men and women. This article offers perspectives from Marie Scott, Bryan McMichael, Jafar Saidi and Bruce Bainbridge, all of whom are individuals incarcerated with life sentences at Muncy, Dallas, Huntingdon and Graterford, respectively. Their thoughts reflect four key reasons why restorative justice has a role to play in prison.

Restorative justice offers a new set of values to guide the justice process:

1. "It has the potential of generating a new dispensation and definition of justice" which has spiritual foundations in healing, forgiveness, character and compassion. (Jafar Saidi)
2. "It brings a humane element to a system. . . . it seems to me there are a multitude of undercurrents that maintain the current system. Each having its own ideas of punishment, revenge in someone else's name, and retribution that seems to be out of focus." (Bruce Bainbridge)
3. It is "an alternative to the punitive, combative, and devastating ideals [incarcerated individuals] have always known." (Bryan McMichael)

Restorative justice offers an opportunity for meaningful accountability:

1. It assures "victims that offenders are taking responsibility for the impact of their crimes on victims. It also assures offenders that changes they make while accepting that responsibility serves a far greater purpose than their previous lack of responsibility. . . . " (Marie Scott)
2. "Investigating the idea that it's not the state whose been harmed, but the community, including the victim, can go a long way towards dispelling the long held belief that completing one's sentence absolves the offender of any further obligation or responsibility for the effects of the offense." (Bryan McMichael)
3. "It brings accountability in a realistic way, responsibility and obligations on a much more meaningful level. A direct result of my action." (Bruce Bainbridge)

Restorative justice offers a way to respond to the harms that have been experienced by individuals who have committed crimes and to contribute to their personal growth:

1. "The concept is a process for me that is more about promoting healing, growth and a sense of well-being [and it] certainly prepares me to go back to my community - or my immediate community - to function better." (Bruce Bainbridge)
2. "There are so many scars inside prisoners, it is incredible that we survive. . .we humans are products of our past which is a part of our today. . . .unwittingly, with a great deal of denial, we repeat these physical, emotional and mental patterns. The only way to stop the cycle and break the pattern is to go back and deal with the pain. . . .explore the feelings, unpack the guilt and free ourselves from the baggage we picked up along the way." (Jafar Saidi)

Restorative Justice offers hope for change:

1. "The transformative potential of restorative justice seems to be our best ticket out of the mess we have created." (Jafar Saidi)
2. Efforts to be responsible "will not go unrecognized." (Marie Scott)
3. "Had I not become more aware of restorative justice and its attributes, I probably would not have as strong a hope and compassion for the families I've hurt so much nor the willingness to believe things do change and happen to those that genuinely believe in a better future." (Bruce Bainbridge)

The Prison Society shares the vision of and hope for the possibilities of restorative justice with Bruce, Marie, Jafar, Bryan and the other incarcerated men and women who are interested in the power and potential of restorative justice.