Let’s start by being honest. We treat addictions by sending people to prison, particularly if they are poor or a racial minority. That fact is inarguable.
Consider the data. Nearly 80% of people charged with a crime are abusing drugs or alcohol at the time of the offense. Nearly 65% of people in prison have a major substance abuse disorder. Substance use dramatically increases the likelihood of recidivism…
Prisons are our default response to addictions. [Read more…]
Consider this post as a confession of sorts.
Throughout my life, I have witnessed the devastating impacts of addiction. I have seen this both personally, watching friends slip from view; and professionally, with children no more than 10 years old, and seniors nearing their seventh decade.
I have a collection of images in my mind. [Read more…]
I’ve been engaged in a running reflection on that sweet spot of the restorative justice approach: ‘doing with.’ [Read more…]
(Peace Circle at the California Chowchilla Prison for Women)
Things go wrong in prison. That’s a given.
The wrongdoing ranges from the minor (tobacco contraband, for example) to the most serious (such as rape and murder). Prisons are overcrowded, hot, and volatile places, where intimidation and violence are the norm.
For egregious violations, prison officials will refer to ‘outside’ criminal justice investigation and prosecution. Most rule violations, however, are handled internally, following established Corrections policies and processes. These processes typically mirror traditional criminal justice processes including the establishment of facts and guilt; the imposition of sanctions or punishments; and established processes for inmate legal representation and the right to appeal. Prisons even have their own form of a prison within a prison: segregation.
With this post, I explore how a restorative prison could respond to wrongdoing. [Read more…]
Restorative Justice is clearly a movement whose time has arrived. Wherever you look, there are stories of new and creative applications of restorative principles, which are shaping and transforming the cultures of our schools, communities, and businesses. The sky is the limit.
Except for one notable exception: prisons. Here, the walls–literal and figurative–persist. [Read more…]