It’s a bit past Martin Luther King Day, but the issues that his legacy and this day raise are always timely.
sujatha baliga of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency posted a moving reflection on what has–and has not–changed since King’s time. As she says:
f Dr. King were here today, he would bear witness to the following facts:
There are more African Americans under correctional control than were enslaved in 1850.
Racial disparities exist in every aspect of our juvenile and criminal legal systems.
Racial disparities begin in our school disciplinary processes and lead to school push out, to the school-to-prison pipeline.
In light of all this and more, I suspect Dr. King would tell us a few things. He would remind us that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” and that we still have much work to do. He would also tell us that he refuses to believe that “the bank of justice is bankrupt,” and that, “we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
In her blog post, she reflects on the power restorative justice has to help correct these disparities. She doesn’t focus on the process, or how restorative justice will lead to better empathy or emotional literacy, or even empower communities to solve their own problems. Instead, she focuses on the innate human desire to connect, and the power of restorative justice to heal broken relationships. She offers a powerful call for us to heal not just personal broken relationships, but societal ones, through the power of restorative practices.
You have upcoming two chances to hear sujatha baliga in person!
She will be speaking at the Western New Work Restorative Practices Conference on April 9th. (It’s not too late to sign up, and walk-ins are welcome!)
Can’t make the whole conference, or want to hear her speak on two different topics? Check out the evening event!
–submitted by Katherine Schaefer