Resolution Online

I first became interested in restorative justice when I was a masters student studying criminal justice policy at the LSE. Each week the course covered a topic and top of the reading list in the week focused on restorative justice was Nils Christie’s legendary 1977 article Conflicts as property. In that year I read countless academic articles, but it is probably the only one that I can remember with any clarity. It is certainly the only one that directly affected my future career choices.

A year ago today I joined the RJC. It’s a cliché to say that time has flown by but it’s true nonetheless. It’s been a whirlwind year with scarcely a moment to catch breath. Looking back, there are lots of things I’m proud of, like our great new film Moving on, interesting events that we’ve hosted, and the steady growth in the number of organisations applying for the RSQM. I’ve also been fortunate enough to find out more about the great work that our members do and to hear first hand the compelling stories of people who have benefited from restorative justice. Whenever I’m buried in budgets or stuck in a windowless boardroom, it’s those stories that remind me why I do what I do.

Yesterday, a young woman called Ione Wells took the courageous step of waiving her anonymity to publish an open letter to the man who sexually assaulted her. The letter powerfully and eloquently expresses her outrage at the attack and confronts the anonymous offender with questions about the effect of his actions.