NCJ Number
217043
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 68 Issue: 7 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 58-61
Date Published
December 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes the “Restorative Justice as a Solution-Focused Approach to Conflict and Wrongdoing” facilitator training course at the Waiawa Correctional Facility on the island of O'ahu, HI.
Abstract
The 12-week training program, which was designed to help inmates learn self-control and cooperation with others, contains five main components: (1) applied and participatory experiential learning (learning through experience); (2) strength-based training; (3) the solution-focused approach; (4) restorative justice; and (5) forgiveness as a learned skill. Program topics include listening skills development, using open-ended questions, resiliency development, using communication for conflict resolution, restorative justice, and forgiveness. The strength-based component of the program focuses the positive aspects of inmates while the solution-focused approach uses language skills to assist in problem solving. The program provides 24 hours of meetings, which are scheduled as 2-hour sessions. Participants begin and end the sessions sitting in large circles, which are broken up into smaller circles or dyads for most program work. Specific activities include practice with compassionate listening, role playing, story telling, and journal writing. The training also introduces inmates to the principles of restorative justice by encouraging them to consider who was harmed by their wrongdoing, how the wrongdoing affected them personally as well as their loved ones, and how they might work toward repairing the harm. The program is facilitated by two female trainers: a public health educator and a family therapist. While recidivism data is not yet available, preliminary survey results from 16 inmates exiting the program indicate that the program is helpful in teaching inmates new skills and providing them hope for the future. Endnotes