7, May 2008 New technique in corrections: restorative justice Haas chp 28; brief overview of the last few decades of research on restorative justice Victim/offender mediation gives victim a chance to confront victimizer Annalise Acorn, compulsory Compassion: A critique of restorative justice (2004); critic of program and doesnt think its affective. Has learned that offenders typically play along with what they see is desired of them. Offender becomes more cynical after this experience, learns what to say/do/act to make others happy. These programs promise healing but dont deliver, and provide another way for offenders to get one over on the system. Comparative Criminal Justice (other countries) o Mexico o T or F; in Mexico it has never been and is still not a crime to escape (or attempt to escape) from prison TRUE Considers legislation from time to time but it never makes it o South America and 1 western European nation o It is not uncommon for families to live together in prison o Mexico Toddlers live in prison with mothers Law is children born to women in prison stay with mother in prison up to 6 years, a child has never hurt been o Bolivia Whole families live in prison About 1200 children live in prison with parents; Norm in main Bolivian prisons; entire families can live in prisons Common solution in many Latin American countries o Spain Children allowed to live in prison with their parents, certain prisons o South Korea o Very lenient o Most serious offender would serve at most 20 years o If you commit a crime on behalf of the north, acts of terrorism, etc.; if he then denounces the north, get released and they virtually become a hero. Longest serving prisoner served 40 years, arrested with 7 others (they denounced north after a few years), never denounced North Korea How other nations use the death penalty o It is true that US is the only western democracy that still has death penalty o In same company as libia, Syria, Iran, Irac, Burma, etc. But we have never used it against political figures, usually use it against only heinous crimes (murders) o Though 14 states dont have death penalty, 36 do o 95% of executions have been in the south
o Use it sparingly, only in cases of murder and history of not against political disodence