Restorative Justice

Restorative justice has been seen multiple times in the civil rights conflict. In the recent events of publicized police brutality, many non-violent, civil rights activist’s groups have made themselves known. Black Lives Matter movement, Colour of Change and the Black and White Alliance Movement are a few of the most prominent organizations in the United States. The Truth Telling Project (TTP), is also an important one to highlight. They are a grassroots initiative that uses restorative justice practices on victims of police violence. that focuses on how communities can tell their stories and a foundation to support structural change as a form of reconciliation for the purposes of eliminating systemic violence. The project was an aftermath …show more content…
The main goal of this event was to resource each victim’s story and truth telling as a means to reach reconciliation. “It took me to that combat zone” Cori Bush said. “It’s in my backyard, streets that I use, officers that I can see if I go to the grocery store and they are in plain clothes…it’s those people that when they clock in, now those are the ones that have a gun in my face, those are the ones that are beating my friends.” Bush shared this in one of the sharing circles
On the official Truth Telling Project Website, it states “We foster coalition-building and solidarity with the most vulnerable communities. We educate ourselves and our allies about systemic violence throughout the United States. We support reparative and restorative justice as the primary pathways for structural transformation.” The TTP, embodies the focus of using other means of justice, whilst involving both parties of the …show more content…
Implementing circles into the resolution process would also be vital; as circles are an important way in supporting victims in cases where the offender was not caught (Circles, p. 23). Between 2005 and April 2017, 80 law officials were arrested for murder or manslaughter charges for on-duty shootings that were not justified. During that 12-year span, 35% were convicted. This is mass-victimization that is being overlooked and dismissed, can be addressed in a formal circle. With the fear of violence by police, many African-Americans feel terrified to even be pulled over for a broken tail light. In 2015, African-American woman, Sandra Bland was pulled over during a traffic story for a broken tail light and was arrested, and died in the hands of the police. This contradicts the police motto, ‘to protect and to serve’. To come to an overall resolution for this pressing issue; establishing the needs of both parties is vital. Determining, the need for force when needed and the need of the feeling of safety, no matter your skin colour. This is setting the example that the justice system is failing minorities in America; embedding the fear that justice is not on their

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