NCJ Number
197630
Date Published
October 2002
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the use of restorative justice in school violence incidents in Australia.
Abstract
Violence in schools is being recognized as not only a social justice problem but also a public health problem. For offenders, there is often a continuity of aggressive and dominating behaviors over time. Victims carry the emotional scars, suffering the long-term effects of perpetual victimhood. Both are alienated from the community in which they live. Bullying in schools is a serious form of violence that plagues the school system. Early intervention has been advocated as the most appropriate way to break the cycle of bullying. Bullying and victimization within schools is an effective behavioral target because these behaviors signal the breakdown of social relationships. Bullying is the assertion of power through aggression and domination. It may be common through the ages, but this is as much a reflection on having institutions that tolerate bullying, as on the nature of children. The path bullies tread reflects a pattern of poor social adjustment. Acknowledgement of shame can lead to greater integrity of the self and the social world. Shame avoidance can lead to social alienation and conflict with the self and the social world. The aim of restorative programs is to reintegrate those affected by wrongdoing back into the community. A community accountability conference brings together victims, offenders, and their respective communities of care. Community accountability conferencing has been used well in schools, particularly in addressing bullying. The practice of restorative justice offers hope to those affected by violent and aggressive acts. 49 references