JRP Blog

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE VIRGINIA TECH TRAGEDY ? HOW DO YOU THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED?
DO YOU THINK RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRINCIPLES COULD HAVE PLAYED A PART IN PREVENTING THIS TRAGEDY?
HOW? IS THIS AN ISSUE RELATED MORE TO GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA OR HOW WE RESPOND TO THOSE WHO ARE MENTALLY ILL?
OR BOTH?

We are sharing this item with you (below) provided by Amnesty International. We are interested in your views. There is much discussion nationally about the

sentencing of violent juveniles to life without parole

. How do you view this? Some of the laws that have passed in the U.S. have occurred in lieu of efforts to get stronger legislation passed (i.e. the use of the death penalty). Now there are efforts in some states to reconsider the idea of LWOP for violent juveniles (usually convicted of murder).

Since we are an organization that works with victims of violent crime who are supportive of restorative justice, or open to hearing more about it, we then must consider this issue of juvenile violence through the lenses that restorative justice provides. What would that mean, then? We have some thoughts on this but we want to hear yours.

From Amnesty International:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/magazine/spring_2006/discarded_lives/print.html

We appreciate your feedback.