Conveners: Russ Leinbach, Sue Praill
Scribe: Russ Leinbach
E 116 5:45
Attendees: Kathy Kinton Williams, Emily Phillips, Andrea Virden, Tonya Osinkosky, Harvey Yoder, Larry Kim, Leah Rosenwasser, Marisa Clymer Shank, Scott Kim, Sue Praill, Stephen King, Anne Nielsen, Gretchen Maust, Josh Davis, Diane Roll, Kevin Lanoue, Russ Leinbach
How victims can find healing and answers and offenders can be held accountable and learn to understand the full effect of their crime through a “Restorative Justice” process.
- One form of this is “Peacemaking Circles” used in schools and children’s clubs but also used in adult settings.
- Sit in circle, pass a “talking piece” – only one who can talk – pass it around.
- Learn conflict resolution skills that can be taken to different settings. Peolple feel more comfortable talking, learn to listen, not interrupt.
- Need other approaches than just throwing people in jail.
- US incarcerates more people than any other country.
- Racial issues related to crime.
- There is some improvement. Better police/community relations than 20 years ago. fightcrime.org – resource
- Treatment of prisoners in local jail is dehumanizing – brought to visitation in handcuffs even though completely separated from family visitor and are locked in a room where they cannot possibly escape.
- Resources offered to Sheriff for prisoner education or treatment are declined based on lack of space to accommodate.
Contact Russ Leinbach or Sue Praill at the Fairfield Center (formerly community mediation center) at 540-434-0059. Desire to have more conversation/follow-up on the following day.
