Restorative Justice

The book, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, was studied by many people in the Des Moines area for the last few months.  Now there will be a 1/2 day workshop on how to move forward on prison reform, restorative justice in our schools, changes in racial profiling in Des Moines area, and Re-entry groups to lessen recividism.

It will be held at the Unitarian Church on 1800 Bell next Sat., April 27th, from 9:00-12:00 with registration starting at 8:30.  The workshop is free! It's calling all of us to action in Des Moines!!

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Mural Art as a Catalyst for Social Change -Tony Heriza (AFSC director Educational Outreach) will show his documentary Concrete, Steel and Paint, which explores the way that mural painting provided a space for prisoners and victims of violence to come together for healing in a Philadelphia prison. Says a participant in the process, "There's something about creating beauty that reaches people and that in the end gives us hope that things can change..."  Winner of the Best Short Documentary award at the Peace on Earth Film Festival.

Chuck Thomason will speak on Restorative Justice: a Conversation on its history, scope, and function. How should our society and we as individuals respond to wrongdoing? What does justice require? What do our religious or philosophical beliefs indicate should be our response? A model that has brought hope for improving our response has been called Balanced and Restorative Justice.