September 20, 2022 (Moscow, Idaho) — Crimes large and small have a ripple effect on people’s lives, which is why the idea of restorative justice is so important.
But what is restorative justice and how can it be practiced in Idaho? That is the topic of a session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27 in the Fiske Room of the 1912 Center.
“Restorative Justice in Idaho: Empowering Those Affected by Crime to Create Healing Solutions” will feature Mark Ingram, a retired magistrate judge in Idaho’s 5th District. The session is co-sponsored by the City of Moscow’s Human Rights Commission, the University of Idaho’s Department of Culture, Society and Justice, and the UI College of Law Criminal Law Society.
One thing that makes restorative justice different is it seeks to understand what happened and why not everyone can heal, so all stakeholders are brought together to create a solution, said Ken Faunce, Moscow Human Rights Commission chair.
“Restorative justice recognizes the trauma which occurs with crime,” Faunce said. “Restorative justice believes those people impacted/affected by the criminal behavior should have a role in fashioning solutions that will help to repair the harm. It focuses on what the victim needs and the offender’s responsibility for repairing the harm. It asks: What can be done to make things right?”
Ingram, a retired Lincoln County magistrate, has been a champion of juvenile justice reform since 2007, and serves on the Board of Overseers for the International Institution for Restorative Practices. He will talk about restorative justice, include a short video, then he will open the meeting to questions.
The restorative justice session is the second in a series of three that describes restorative justice practices and offer examples of how those processes have been used in Idaho. For more information, contact Maureen Laflin at mlaflin@ci.moscow.id.us.