August 2003 Edition
Creating Guidelines for Restorative Justice
In 2002, the United Nations Economic and Social Council endorsed Basic Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters. In paragraph 12, the Basic Principles urge governments to create guidelines and standards for the use of restorative justice programmes. Two countries, Canada and New Zealand, have started this process.
Responding to Juvenile Crime in Thailand
Families and victims to get their say and Families are to get rehab role are two headlines appearing in the Bangkok Post in June. The articles refer to an announcement by the Juvenile Observation and Protection Department of its plans to institute family group conferencing with juvenile offenders beginning July 1. The Department hopes to lower the number of juveniles held in detention centres through this programme.
Evaluating Programmes: Resources Available on the Web.
Programme evaluation is an important way to maintain programme integrity and monitor results. Resources for developing evaluation tools and conducting evaluations are available online.
Book Review: Restorative Justice in Context: International Practice and Directions.
This volume grew out of the 4th International Conference on Restorative Justice for Juveniles, held in 2000. With chapters reflecting wide geographical as well as thematic coverage, the collection reviews a number of key developments and issues in restorative justice practice.
Website of the Month: Medios Alternativos de Resolucion de Conflictos
Medios Alternativos de Resolucion de Conflictos is maintained by the Justice Studies Centre of the Americas. The website is a centralized clearinghouse of information on governmental and non-governmental activities in alternative dispute resolution throughout the Americas. This covers the entire spectrum of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) including programmes in criminal justice. The page is currently available only in Spanish, although there are plans to publish an English language version.
Recent Changes to Restorative Justice Online
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