CRJ340: Restorative and Community Based Justice

CRJ340: Restorative and Community Based Justice
Credit Hours:
3
Contact Hours:
This is a 3-credit course, offered in accelerated format. This means that 16 weeks of material is covered in 8 weeks. The exact number of hours per week that you can expect to spend on each course will vary based upon the weekly coursework, as well as your study style and preferences. You should plan to spend 10-25 hours per week in each course reading material, interacting on the discussion boards, writing papers, completing projects, and doing research.
Course Description and Outcomes
Course Description:
In this course, students are introduced to the origins, theories, controversies, and practices, both past and present, of restorative and transformative justice as alternative responses to resolve conflicts. Course material also interrogates the question: “when is it appropriate to forgive rather than to punish?” Students aim to understand the meaning of restorative and transformative processes by examining the ways in which they are practiced to address crime, school discipline, and other types of conflict around the world.
Course Overview:
The course provides a detailed study of the principles and practices of restorative justice aimed at repairing harms and restoring balance within a community, alleviating victim suffering, and providing opportunities for accountability and restoration to offenders. The course begins with the examination of the roots of modern restorative justice and compares restorative and retributive justice practices. The roles played by participants in restorative justice, including victims, offenders, and community, will be explored. Specific restorative practices are examined in detail, including victim offender mediation, family group conferencing, peacemaking circles, and restorative dialogue. The course incorporates an evaluation of restorative practices and concludes with an examination of cultural considerations and emerging areas of practice.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Summarize and contrast the Indigenous historical and Euro-American theological roots of restorative justice.
2. Identify the principles underlying the restorative and transformative justice paradigms.
3. Compare and contrast restorative and retributive justice models cross culturally.
4. Evaluate assumptions about the definitions and roles of offender, victim, church, state, and community in the context of crime and justice.
5. Examine and explain the relationship between re-integrative shaming and restorative justice, crime prevention and treatment.
6. Identify restorative justice programs/policies in the current justice system.
7. Identify primary research components in evaluating restorative justice programs.
Participation & Attendance
Prompt and consistent attendance in your online courses is essential for your success at CSU-Global Campus. Failure to verify your attendance within the first 7 days of this course may result in your withdrawal. If for some reason you would like to drop a course, please contact your advisor.
SAMPLE
Online classes have deadlines, assignments, and participation requirements just like on-campus classes. Budget your time carefully and keep an open line of communication with your instructor. If you are having technical problems, problems with your assignments, or other problems that are impeding your progress, let your instructor know as soon as possible.
Course Materials Textbook Information is located in the CSU-Global Booklist on the Student Portal.
Course Schedule
Due Dates
The Academic Week at CSU-Global begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday.
• Discussion Boards: The original post must be completed by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. MT and Peer Responses posted by Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT. Late posts may not be awarded points.
• Opening Exercises: Take the opening exercise before reading each week’s content to see which areas you will need to focus on. You may take these exercises as many times as you need. The opening exercises will not affect your final grade.
• Mastery Exercises: Students may access and retake mastery exercises through the last day of class until they achieve the scores they desire.
• Critical Thinking: Assignments are due Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MT.
• Live Classroom: Although participation is not required, a Live Classroom session is held during Week 4.
Week #
Readings
Assignments
1
• Chapter 1 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Chapter 5, 6, & 7 in Changing Lenses
• Terpstra, J. (2013). Indigenous models of justice: moving beyond tragedies. Restorative justice online. Retrieved from http://www.restorativejustice.org
• Zumeta, Z. and Redsteer, R. (2014). Navajo peacemaking – bringing indigenous wisdom into healing. BlogTalkRadio [Audio]. Retrieved from http://www.blogtalkradio.com/
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
2
• Chapter 3 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Chapter 10 in Changing Lenses
• Chapter 2 & 3 in The Little Book of Restorative Justice
• Begay, R. (2007). The cornstalk philosophy of learning. The judicial branch of the Navajo nation peacemaking program.
• Zehr, H. & McCray, A. (2011, July). Righting wrongs the Maori way. Yes! Powerful ideas, practical actions.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Critical Thinking (70 points)
•
3
• Chapter 9 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Chapters 1, 2 & 3 in Changing Lenses
• UK Government Restorative Justice Action Plan (2014). Gov.uk.
• Amstutz, L. & Siemans, S. (2013, Fall). Restorative justice: The promise and the challenge. Intersections MCC theory and practice quarterly.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Critical Thinking (75 points)
4
• Chapters 5 & 6 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Chapter 3 in The Little Book of Restorative Justice
• Schone, T. (2012). Reparative justice in post-conflict societies. Friedrich-ebert-stiftung.
• Gavrielides, T. (2007). Understanding the ‘restorative justice practice’.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Critical Thinking (75 points)
• Live Classroom (0 points) SAMPLE
Pages 29-35. Restorative justice theory and practice addressing the discrepancy.
5
• Chapters 7 & 8 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Koss, M. and Achilles, M. (2011). Restorative justice responses to sexual assault. National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 2011.
• Melese, M. (2003). Restorative justice. Beyond Intractability. [Updated June 2013 by Burgess, H. & Cast, S.]
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Critical Thinking (75 points)
6
• Latimer, J., Dowden, C., & Muise, D. (June 2005). The effectiveness of restorative justice practices: A meta-analysis. The Prison Journal, 85(2), 127-144.
• Cunneen, C. (2008). Understanding restorative justice through the lens of critical criminology. In C. Cunneen & T. Anthony, (Eds.), The critical criminology companion, (pp. 290-302). Annandale, NSW, Australia: Federation Press.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Critical Thinking (75 points)
7
• Chapter 10 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Blagg, H. (1998) Restorative visions and restorative justice practices: conferencing, ceremony and reconciliation in Australia. Current issues in criminal justice. Vol. 10 No. 1. 6-14.
• Terpstra, J. (2013) Restorative and Transformative Justice Report. [Unpublished paper].
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
8
• Chapter 11 in Restorative Justice Dialogue
• Wachtel, J. (2011). Healing after a student suicide: Restorative circles.
• Brenner, A. (2013) Transforming campus culture to prevent rape: the possibility and promise of restorative justice as a response to campus sexual assault. Harvard Journal of Law and Gender, Vol 10, 2013.
• Discussion (25 points)
• Opening Exercise (0 points)
• Mastery Exercise (10 points)
• Portfolio (350 points)
Assignment Details This course includes the following assignments/projects:
Module 1
PORTFOLIO PROJECT REMINDER
Review the Portfolio Project Description on the Week 8 Assignments page and the Portfolio Project grading rubric. Your final Portfolio Project will be due at the end of Week 8.
In Chapter 6 of Changing Lenses, Zehr thoroughly explores the notion of a paradigm shift as applied to our sense of what justice means. Indigenous models represent an alternative paradigm on harm, restoration, and balance. As a first step in your Portfolio Project, familiarize yourself with the ideas presented by Zehr in Chapter 6 of Changing Lenses and compare them with Navajo theories in your assigned web readings for this week.
Module 2
Critical Thinking (70 points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Option #1: Personal and Career Evaluation: Internships
Visit the Student Career Center in the CSU-Global Portal and use the tools provided under Personal and Career Evaluation to evaluate your values, skill set, and ideal work environment. Identify the skills which you have that lend themselves to a career in this field. Reflect as well on any skills you may need to bolster. SAMPLE
Research the opportunities for internships in the field of Criminal Justice, focusing wherever possible on opportunities in Restorative Justice.
In a well-written letter of introduction (think cover letter for the position), connect your skills and values with the internship opportunity you are seeking. Reflect honestly about your fit for the position. Include an analysis of what you seek to learn from your chosen opportunity. Challenge yourself by looking for international internship opportunities. Think and dream big!
Your 1-to-3-page letter should be formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Option #2: Personal and Career Evaluation: Volunteering
Visit the Student Career Center in the CSU-Global Portal and use the tools provided under Personal and Career Evaluation to evaluate your values, skill set, and ideal work environment. Identify the skills which you have that lend themselves to a career in this field. Reflect as well on any skills you may need to bolster.
Research the opportunities for volunteering locally in the field of Criminal Justice, focusing wherever possible on opportunities in Restorative Justice. Many of your best opportunities may lie in local schools.
In a well-written letter of introduction (think cover letter for the position), connect your skills and values with the volunteer opportunity you are seeking. Reflect honestly about your fit for the position. Include an analysis of what you seek to learn from your chosen opportunity.
Your 1-to-3-page letter should be formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
PORTFOLIO PROJECT REMINDER
Begin work on your project by choosing your topic. You will have an outline due in week 4, so after choosing your topic, begin working on your outline. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your instructor.
Module 3
Critical Thinking (75 points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Option #1: Restorative Justice: Foundations, Principles, and Comparison to Retributive Justice
In a well-written paper, identify the origins of the restorative justice movement and explain how the principles and practices of restorative justice relate to its historical Indigenous, theological, and social-work roots. Also describe how Indigenous restorative practices requiring the understanding of ancestry, traditions and language differ from non-indigenous restorative practices, including both the philosophical and practical differences. Use specific examples to support your thinking.
This is a good opportunity to recognize and reflect on how your own belief systems are structured and how they compare to restorative justice. If your beliefs have changed any since the course began, reflect on how and why.
Use at least two scholarly sources as support. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources.
Your 2 to 3 page paper should be formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Option #2: Restorative Justice Participant Roles in the Context of Crime and Justice
There are several parts to this Critical Thinking assignment, one of which requires you to think about your own assumptions. Start by considering the various players affected by a crime: the offender, the victim, the family, community (which may include neighbors, educational institutions, religious organizations, etc.), and the state. Then consider the following questions about each role:
1. What rights does/do this person or these people have?
2. What responsibilities does/do this person or these people have?
3. How involved should this person or these people be in the criminal justice process? SAMPLE
In a well-written paper, begin by describing your own answers to the above questions for each role. If you find that your answers have changed in the last few weeks of taking this course, include in your paper both the beliefs you held coming into the course, as well as your current answers to these questions. Then answer these questions from a restorative justice perspective, using at least two scholarly sources as support. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources. Compare the assumptions in your own answers with that of the restorative justice.
Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
PORTFOLIO PROJECT REMINDER
Portfolio Project Resources
An outline of your project is due next week. Continue working on the outline. By now you should have found 3 to 5 resources. Consult the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements to review writing and formatting for your project.
Module 4
Critical Thinking (75 points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Option #1: Restorative Justice Programs: Local
Research a Restorative Justice program in your state or a nearby state. In a well-written paper summarize its mission, goals, and the processes (VOM, conferencing, circles) it uses in the program. Identify and provide a critical analysis of the processes used in the programs relative to demographics of race, class, culture and creed.
Research the professional organizations within the field of Criminal Justice and include an analysis of the value of joining a professional organization.
Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Option #2: Restorative Justice Programs: International
Research Restorative justice programs in the UK, Canada, Australia or New Zealand and choose one on which to focus. In a well-written, informative paper summarize the programs missions, goals, and the processes it uses in the program. Evaluate who benefits from the program.
Research the professional organizations within the field of Criminal Justice and include an analysis of the value of joining a professional organization. If possible, note any differences you find between international organizations and national or local organizations.
Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
PORTFOLIO PROJECT MILESTONE (Worth 50 Points)
Portfolio Project Outline (worth 50 Points)
Submit a one-page outline of your Portfolio Project. Your outline should contain at least five headings and three of the citations you have located so far. Provide some detail on the two programs or responses you have located which will provide the basis for your comparison. Note: While you will not receive points this week for this deliverable, it is worth 50 points to your final score.
Module 5
Critical Thinking (75 points)
CRITICAL THINKING ASSIGNMENT (75 points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission. SAMPLE
Option #1: Comparison of Restorative Practices
In a well-written paper, compare the three distinct models of restorative justice discussed by Zehr: victim offender mediation, group conferencing and circle processes. Your analysis should include an assessment of similarities as well as differences among the three models. For each model, provide at least one case example of this model in practice, preferably within the criminal justice system.
Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Cite at least three credible outside sources in addition to the text.
Option #2: Proposal for Implementing Restorative Practices
Review and analyze the UK Government Restorative Justice Action Plan from the Module 3 readings. Next, create a proposal for a victim led process in your city supporting your claims with facts, studies and expert analysis.
Your proposal should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Module 6
Critical Thinking (75 points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission.
Option #1: Restorative Justice: Critiques and Evaluation
All social theories and policies are subject to criticism, improvement, and change. In at least three scientific evaluation studies from peer-reviewed journals or by government agencies (which must include methodology and references), find alternate points of view concerning the effectiveness of restorative justice and/or some of the critical issues facing the further development of restorative practices. In a well-written paper, discuss and evaluate two or three critiques of restorative justice. Predict future trends in Restorative Justice. In your discussion, consider the methods that researchers use to evaluate restorative justice programs and your critique and suggestions about the methods used in these studies.
Your paper should be 2 to 3 pages long and formatted according to CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
Cite at least three credible outside sources in addition to the required readings. Peer-reviewed articles are often considered to be most credible. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources.
Option #2: Restorative Justice: Conceptual Relationships
Indigenous restorative processes begin with the effects of colonization by Europeans while European, UK and US models begin with stakeholders. Create at least two graphic organizers of conceptual relationships in these diverse models with narrative explanations concerning the relationships. Within your narrative, critically analyze the concepts and relationships, critiquing for effectiveness and alternate points of view. Point out critical relationships and explain their importance. To stretch your thinking, develop a third organizer which predicts future trends in Restorative Justice.
For examples of graphic organizers, see http://webtoolboxes.wikispaces.com/Graphic+Organizers. Bubbl.us and MindMaple are good tools for creating these organizers. Other tools are listed in the link.
Cite at least three credible outside sources in addition to the required readings. Peer-reviewed articles are often considered to be most credible. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources.
Module 8
Portfolio Project (350 Points)
Choose one of the following two assignments to complete this week. Do not do both assignments. Identify your assignment choice in the title of your submission. SAMPLE
Option #1: Portfolio Project: Restorative Justice Applications
Compare and contrast, within a chosen subset of criminal justice, the traditional criminal justice response to crime with a restorative response to similar crimes.
Instructions
1) Choose a subset of criminal justice in the United States, including but not limited to juvenile justice, criminal or discipline issues in institutions of higher education, parole, probation or other areas of corrections, gendered violence response, or other crimes of severe violence.
2) Within your chosen subset, research the traditional retributive response to crime. Present the typical process and consequences that an offender may experience through the mainstream criminal justice system. Also detail the role the victim and community play in these proceedings. You may use your pre-existing knowledge of or experience with the criminal justice system to inform your account, or you may locate an actual case study or published account and draw from that for your project.
3) Research the ways communities are applying restorative responses in similar cases occurring in the area you have chosen. Find at least two specific cases of restorative responses in the literature and describe the methods used to address harm. Provide a detailed account of each of these responses. Detail the role and importance of the offender, victim, and community in the process. If you have personal knowledge of a specific restorative program, you may substitute that for one of the restorative response accounts.
4) After presenting the retributive justice response to a crime and fully exploring at least two restorative justice responses to similar incidents, draw your own conclusions regarding the end results of each. Consider some of the following points in your evaluation:
• Zehr’s current position that Western justice systems and restorative processes are not in competition but can work in concert with each other
• The importance of the protection of civil rights in Western justice systems and how those protections fit into a restorative process
• The importance of community safety and the ability of restorative processes to attend to the safety of victims and communities
• Issues involving disparity of response affecting communities of color
• The wide array of outcomes that are possible when communities exert ultimate control over response to wrong-doing without any standardization that currently exists in our court system
5) Discuss how restorative justice might grow or change in the future in the area you are researching. How do you see that particular area changing in the future in how criminal behavior is addressed? Given what you have learned through your research, what role do you think restorative justice should or will play in the criminal justice system? In closing, present your ideas about the way restorative justice will impact the justice system as a whole.
Preliminary Deliverables
Week 4: You will be required to submit an outline in Week 4. This outline will be worth 50 points of the project (see Portfolio Outline Rubric) and you will be expected to incorporate feedback on this outline into your final Portfolio Project.
Requirements
• The paper must be 6-8 pages in length (not counting the title and references pages that must be included).
• Format your well written paper according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Incorporate at least 8 sources in your topic area. You may use any of the three texts as primary references and glean other sources from the reference section Umbreit provides at the end of each chapter of Restorative Justice Dialogue.
Option #2: Portfolio Project: Restorative Justice Applications in International Contexts.
Instructions SAMPLE
1) Choose an international criminal justice topic such as war crimes, genocide, treaty violations, border disputes, rendition, torture, mass rape or murder. Within your chosen topic, research the international legal responses to the crime. Present the process and consequences that offenders (including states and corporations) may experience through the existing international adjudications justice systems, if any. Also detail the role the victims and states play in these proceedings. You must locate an actual case or published account and draw from that for your project.
2) Research the ways theoreticians and practitioners are applying restorative responses in similar cases such as truth and reconciliation commissions. Find at least two specific theoretical sources advocating restorative, reparative and/or reconciliation responses in the literature and describe the methods used to address harm. Provide a detailed account of each of these responses. Detail the role and importance of the offenders, victims, and communities in the process.
3) After presenting the international law or UN resolutions in response to violations and crimes fully exploring at least two restorative justice responses to similar incidents, draw your own conclusions regarding the end results of each.
4) Finally, discuss how restorative justice might grow or change in the future in the area you are researching. How do you see that particular area changing in the future in how criminal behavior is addressed? Given what you have learned through your research, what role do you think restorative justice should or will play in the international justice system?
5) In closing, present your ideas about the way restorative justice will impact the justice system as a whole.
Preliminary Deliverables
Week 4: You will be required to submit an outline in Week 4. This outline will be worth 50 points of the project (see Portfolio Outline Rubric) and you will be expected to incorporate feedback on this outline into your final Portfolio Project.
Requirements
• The paper must be 6-8 pages in length (not counting the title and references pages that must be included).
• Format your well written paper according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements.
• Incorporate at least 8 sources in your topic area. You may use any of the three texts as primary references and glean other sources from the reference section Umbreit provides at the end of each chapter of Restorative Justice Dialogue.
Course Policies
Course Grading
20% Discussion Participation
0% Opening Exercises
0% Live Classroom
8% Mastery Exercises 37% Critical Thinking Assignments 35% Final Portfolio Paper
Grading Scale and Policies
A
95.0 – 100
A-
90.0 – 94.9
B+
86.7 – 89.9
B
83.3 – 86.6
B-
80.0 – 83.2
C+
75.0 – 79.9
C
70.0 – 74.9
D
60.0 – 69.9
F
59.9 or below
In-Classroom Policies
For information on late work and incomplete grade policies, please refer to our In-Classroom Student Policies and Guidelines or the Academic Catalog for comprehensive documentation of CSU-Global institutional policies. SAMPLE
Academic Integrity
Students must assume responsibility for maintaining honesty in all work submitted for credit and in any other work designated by the instructor of the course. Academic dishonesty includes cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, plagiarism, reusing /re-purposing your own work (see CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements for percentage of repurposed work that can be used in an assignment), unauthorized possession of academic materials, and unauthorized collaboration. The CSU-Global Library provides information on how students can avoid plagiarism by understanding what it is and how to use the Library and Internet resources.
Citing Sources with APA Style
All students are expected to follow the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements when citing in APA (based on the APA Style Manual, 6th edition) for all assignments. For details on CSU-Global APA style, please review the APA resources within the CSU-Global Library under the “APA Guide & Resources” link. A link to this document should also be provided within most assignment descriptions on your course’s Assignments page.
Disability Services Statement
CSU–Global is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities. Any student with a documented disability requesting academic accommodations should contact the Disability Resource Coordinator at 720-279-0650 and/or email ada@CSUGlobal.edu for additional information to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.
Netiquette
Respect the diversity of opinions among the instructor and classmates and engage with them in a courteous, respectful, and professional manner. All posts and classroom communication must be conducted in accordance with the student code of conduct. Think before you push the Send button. Did you say just what you meant? How will the person on the other end read the words?
Maintain an environment free of harassment, stalking, threats, abuse, insults or humiliation toward the instructor and classmates. This includes, but is not limited to, demeaning written or oral comments of an ethnic, religious, age, disability, sexist (or sexual orientation), or racist nature; and the unwanted sexual advances or intimidations by email, or on discussion boards and other postings within or connected to the online classroom.
If you have concerns about something that has been said, please let your instructor know. SAMPLE