Vandalism discovered at home of activists

from the article by Evan Brandt at pottstownmercury.com:

Four days after speaking out at a Borough Council meeting about the need to more closely regulate landlords, Katy Jackson woke up to find that green paint had been sprayed along the wall and side door of her house.

And some reed fencing she and her husband David had recently erected was slashed.

Police investigating the incident said there is no evidence that the vandalism was related to her outspokenness, and the evidence points to a random act of vandalism by a handful of teens.

Jul 30, 2010    Story , Country:England&Wales , Region: Europe

Churches grapple with whether to welcome convicted sex offenders

from the article by Adelle M. Banks in the Washington Post:

"All are welcome" is a common phrase on many a church sign and Web site. But what happens when a convicted sex offender is at the door?

Church officials and legal advocates are grappling with how -- and whether -- people who have been convicted of sex crimes should be included in U.S. congregations, especially when children are present:

Jul 30, 2010    Community , Religion , Region: North America and Caribbean , Case:Sexual , Policy , Country:USA

Institutionalizing restorative practices: Building alliances among practitioners, policy-makers and scholars

The 14th World Conference of the International Institute of Restorative Practices will take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in June 2011. Titled "Institutionalizing restorative practices: Building alliances among practitioners, policy-makers and scholars," the conference will feature speakers such as John Braithwaite, Donald Clairmont, and Jennifer Llewellyn. 

Jul 30, 2010    Event

European Commission's Victims' Package: Consultation on taking action on rights, support and protection of victims of crime and violence

from the announcement in the European Commission's Freedom, Security and Justice area:

The Commission intends to adopt a package of measures, including a Directive on minimum standards for victims of crime, in the first half of 2011 in particular to replace the 2001 Framework Decision on the standing of victims. This consultation gives stakeholders the opportunity to present their views about which concrete actions could be developed at EU level that would bring real added value. It will also give the Commission an insight into concrete experiences of those working with victims of crime, particularly regarding the difficulties they encounter when assisting victims and the problems faced by those victims. The Commission is looking in particular for reliable data, factual information and specific real-life examples, regarding both problems and solutions.

Jul 29, 2010    Region: Europe , Support , Mediation , Other , Victim , Restitution

Could Oakland become a restorative justice city?

from Dave Belden's entry on Tikkun Daily:

Is it possible for one city to become a model for restorative justice? Can you imagine a ten year plan to make it happen? I don’t know what that might look like but I really want to hear from people who have ideas about it. Here’s an article Edwin Rutsch sent me describing the work of a number of people in Santa Cruz, California, who have that dream for their city. They say that the cities of Hull, England and Rochester, New York have already become “Restorative Cities.”

Jul 29, 2010    Policy , Politics , RJ City