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05/30/06
The Hidden Agenda of the Restorative Justice Movement By Lee Hanlon
Criminology Column, The Cascade News
Restorative Justice is an anarchist criminology theory that calls for the dismantling of repressive justice especially state forms of justice and its replacement with forms of tolerant mutual aid. In the beginning of the Restorative Justice movement the pre-requisites were for first time, non-violent young offenders. However, as time went on, those who created the Restorative Justice process introduced additional criteria that would allow repeat and violent offenders, both youth and adults to take part in the Restorative Justice process. One example of a violent offender that was allowed to participate in this process was Ryan Aldridge. Granted, although the violent offender participates in the process, they still serve time in prison. Aldridge brutally beat to death Bob McIntosh, Katy Hutchison's husband at a New Year's party in 1997. The justice system, in its infinite wisdom, allowed this violent offender to participate in a Restorative Justice process with Hutchison 8 years after the brutal beating. Restorative Justice. People may think it's a good thing. Mission City counsellor John Pearson, a former RCMP officer, states that it's a great program. Pearson says that "It is a far better process than the court system." Why? I don't know.
He was an RCMP officer! You'd think that he would oppose the Restorative
Justice process. Those who buy into the anarchist criminology theory want to
dismantle all of the penal institutions and put every offender, non-violent and violent,
through Restorative Justice.
But the thing is that defeats the whole purpose. Restorative Justice does not protect the victims or society from violent criminals. And putting the victim or the victim's family through that is deplorable! Just imagine, if you will, putting all parties in the Terry Driver (AKA Abbotsford Killer) through the Restorative Justice process. As it is, Driver terrorized the community and the surviving victim. What is worse? Driver terrorizing a community or the justice system making the victims face a monster? What are these people that support Restorative Justice thinking? Restorative Justice is not all what it's cracked up to be. Sure, on the positive side a first time, non-violent young offender who complies with the process doesn't get a criminal record or go to jail.
In some cases that's okay. But the bottom line is that these creators and supporters of the Restorative Justice process have a hidden agenda.
They want to dismantle the penal system. The penal system is there for a purpose.
To protect society and making our streets safer from violent offenders.