Addressing criminal conduct, challenging obstacles to lasting corrections reform, and healing the resulting harm to individuals and communities are grave concerns in every society. Effectively resolving how to change criminal behavior and reintegrate offenders into their communities has proved to be even more difficult. Our nation’s current system of punishment, isolation, and the lifelong stigmatization of shame produces the opposite of the results we claim we want: individuals who respect both the law and their fellow citizens so they are less likely to re-offend.
Current safety measures based on arresting and incarcerating as many offenders as we can, for increasingly extended prison terms, has proven to be insufficient for the long-term safety needs of our communities, families, and law enforcement officers who risk everything to keep us safe. This uncomfortable but realistic conclusion is readily apparent when we consider that the vast majority of offenders and victims will return to the communities from which they came with even fewer options that change offender or victim opportunity or outlook for change.
The practice of Restorative Justice seeks to improve that dismal outlook through the rebuilding broken ties with communities by reconnecting offenders with community values and encouraging offenders to take responsibility for their actions.
On January 16, 2020, the National Law Enforcement Museum will host a panel of experts from the judicial, law enforcement and restorative justice fields who will discuss how their programs work and the results they have experienced. We invite you to join us, ask questions, and decide for yourself the value of this new initiative for building safer communities.
Register here. Reception begins at 6 pm, the program begins at 7 pm. $10 entry fee includes entry to the Law Enforcement Museum, reception, and the program. Sponsored by Target.
