July 2001 Edition
UN Acts to Advance Restorative Justice
More than 30 countries have sent comments to the UN concerning a draft Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters. This means that the UN will now convene an expert meeting to review the responses and recommend whether to adopt basic principles.
New Books on Restorative Justice
A number of books on restorative justice are being released during the first half of 2001. See what will be available soon in bookstores and libraries.
Book Review: The Spiritual Roots of Restorative Justice
Key restorative justice programs have had their roots in religious or spiritual communities. Victim-offender mediation got its North American start thanks to members of the Mennonite community. Circles were adapted from Native American and First Nations practices. Conferencing was derived from the traditions of the Maori people in New Zealand. While these programs have often been "secularized" for use outside those communities, it is useful to reflect on the spiritual roots of restorative justice. That is the subject of a new book, reviewed in this edition.
Meet Martin Wright
This restorative justice pioneer, author and practitioner is on the Leading Edge in the UK and Europe.
