Seventeen of us gathered on MLK weekend to be trained as Restorative Justice Facilitators
“justice will not be served if we maintain our exclusive focus on the questions that drive our current justice systems: What laws have been broken? Who did it? What do they deserve?
True justice requires, instead, that we ask questions such as these: Who has been hurt? What do they need? Whose obligations and responsibilities are these?
― Howard Zehr
“the circle can always take care of itself”
—Elizabeth Beck
Engaging in restorative justice for two days has been the most transformative experience I have had at Oxford College. Throughout the weekend, the one theme that jumped out to me was community. I realized just how dangerous punitive systems of justice can be, and why they may not be able to push actual, concrete change, as they destroy the community rather than repair harms against a community. As a result of this training, I am looking forward to implementing restorative practices at Oxford College. –Ayman
From the restorative justice training, I have learned the importance of personal responsibility in fostering change—”If not me, then who?” This training has helped me reconnect with a part of myself, reinforcing the value of human life in a way that I feel our current system often neglects. Through RJ’s approach, I have gained a deeper understanding of restoration, transformation, and accountability, not only in how I engage with others but also in how I handle the knowledge and content entrusted to me. — Ebony
The Restorative Justice training was one of the most valuable and empowering experiences of my life. Ever since learning about anarchic societies like the democratic-confederalism found in Rojava or the anarcho-syndicalists in pre-Franco Catalonia in Dr. Shannon’s Discover Seminar, I’ve been a proponent of de-systematizing societal apparatuses like the justice system and returning these powers and responsibilities to the people and community. Going through the nitty-gritty details of the specific process of community conferencing and hearing the many success stories has made me further believe that it is possible to empower the people with the responsibility of dispensing justice. — Harley
This past weekend of community conferencing was one of the most incredibly impactful communities I have entered. To spend time with a group of people who all deeply care about humanity so as to come together with the intention of finding more humane, peaceful, and effective methods of reaching justice was first, so inspiring to spend time with others with such strong convictions for peace and better alternatives for modern systems, ones that value humanity. — Avery
Participating in the restorative justice training was both eye-opening and deeply impactful. The training emphasized the importance of fostering dialogue and understanding between parties, rather than simply assigning blame or punishment, and also showed me the importance of genuine communication in this context. I saw in practice how restorative practices prioritize the needs of both the harmed and the responsible parties while also strengthening the well-being of the community. –Alicia
| criminal legal system | restorative justice |
| what law was broken? | who has been harmed? |
| who did it? | what are their needs? |
| what is the punishment? | whose responsibilities are these? |
Many thanks to the generous Oxford College Board of Counselor Fund, Restorative Conferencing Atlanta, and Allison Bantimba for teaching us!