Transformative Justice “Talking Points”/Key Principles - Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation

by No New Jim Crow Seattle Campaign (nnjcinfo@gmail.com)

Transformative Justice (TJ) is an alternative to jail, prison, and punishments. Its purpose is to repair damaged relationships, encourage healing in individuals and communities so that they can thrive.
TJ is victim-focused, offender-focused, repair-focused – as opposed to focused on laws broken, crimes committed, and punishments.
TJ is community-focused — as opposed to individual-focused: the power for solving problems resides in the community rather than in the state.
TJ asks who/why/what: who was harmed, why did the harm happen, what is necessary to repair the relationships damaged as a result of the harm, and who is responsible for the repair?
TJ is concrete. It has a structure and a process.
- “Peace-Making Circles” or “Family Group Conferences”
- Skilled Facilitators who are members of the communities involved
- Designated places where the groups gather
- Clear process for all people being heard and understood
TJ is already being practiced in large and small-scale ways in many places locally, nationally, and around the world, including:
- New Zealand, Australia
- Alaskan Indigenous People
- Colorado
- Florida (Dade County)
- Baltimore
- Navajo People
- Clark County Juvenile Justice
- Bothell (Youth Court)
- Cleveland High School
- Other Schools in King County (Kent SD? Auburn SD?)
- City of Seattle East Precinct/Central District (pilot program currently underway)____________________________________________________________________________

A few other resources on transformative justice/restorative justice:

Howard Zehr, Changing Lenses, The Little Book of Restorative Justice, The Little Book of Family Group Conferences, New Zealand Style

Interesting “zines” – “Miklat, Miklat, a Restorative Justice Zine” and “Plan A” (Seattle, WISH)