Little Book of Restorative Justice & Community: Reclaiming Connection and Responsibility for Our Neighbors - Paperback

by Sheryl Wilson (Author), Caitlin Morneau (Author)

What is the role and responsibility of the community when it is involved in a restorative process?

This Little Book aims to expand upon the roles and responsibilities of community stakeholders in healing and repairative approaches to justice. Whether family members, friends, neighbors, concerned citizens, or system actors, the range of needs, obligations, and opportunities to engage with restorative justice processes is vast and deserving of greater attention. In this Little Book, Sheryl Wilson and Caitlin Morneau draw on experience in restorative justice facilitation, education, community organizing, and leadership in movement building to illuminate pathways that invite, expand, and sustain restorative justice engagement. The authors offer reflection, analysis, and considerations for community member support and inclusion in restorative justice processes and movement building.

This book is for the secondary victims of harm (witnesses or bystanders) who may not understand where they fit in the space of harm repair. This book is also for those in support of a person who caused harm and needs guidance on where they fit. Lastly, this book is for those in close proximity to harmful events and care about those who occupy the same space. As a community, there are ways people mobilize in organized groups when things go wrong, but what about when things are going right? How can we be good neighbors, co-workers, colleagues, and friends, so that when we do face challenges, we have a good starting place?

Author Biography

Sheryl Wilson has been a practitioner, trainer, and educator in restorative justice for over twenty years. She holds both a Bachelor of Science degree in Mediation and Communication Studies and a restorative justice-based Master of Liberal Studies degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She is a past president of the board of directors of the National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ), and currently serves by appointment on the Kansas Supreme Court's Advisory Council on Dispute Resolution. She is the Director of the Kansas Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (KIPCOR), at Bethel College, one of the oldest regional peace institutes in the United States. She lives in North Newton, Kansas.

Caitlin Morneau oversees program development that advances healing approaches to harm and crime in Catholic communities. Caitlin joined the CMN team in 2017 after seven years of direct social services, volunteer management, operations, and program implementation at faith-based and secular non-profits such as Catholic Charities of Baltimore, Catholic Volunteer Network, Youth Service Opportunities Project, and Bethlehem Farm. She holds an MA in Conflict Transformation from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University and is a current student of theology at Catholic Theological Union. Caitlin lives in Alexandria, VA with her husband, two children, and black lab.