Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice is about recognizing crime as a breach within a community, in which victim, offender and the community have all been harmed. It is a way of living together as a community.

For the last three years, Trinity-St. Paul's has hosted a Restorative Justice Conference. The workshops offered at this year's conference provide a more concrete understanding of the nature of restorative justice. They included personal stories of alienation resulting from the Residential School experience and of the road to healing; learning about congregational approaches to re-integrating ex-prisoners into the community; an example of a community/church collaboration in working with youth at risk; and stories of community/church support for neighbourhoods torn apart by violence.

Members of Trinity-St. Paul's participate in several programs focussing on the re-integration ex-prisoners into the community. The Dismas Fellowhip meets on alternate Fridays at Walmer Road Baptist Church. Another group, which meets at the Keele Centre on alternate Tuesdays, offers support for those living at this halfway house operated by Corrections Canada. Both of these programs are coordinated by the Friends of Dismas. Further information may be obtained at www.friendsofdismas.camp7.org.