AILEEN ADAMS

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE OPENING REMARKS

JANUARY 25, 1996

GOOD AFTERNOON. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I AM AILEEN ADAMS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME, AND I, ALONG WITH JEREMY TRAVIS AND ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL LAURIE ROBINSON, ARE VERY PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU TO THIS SYMPOSIUM ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE -- CO-SPONSORED BY NIJ AND OVC, IN COLLABORATION WITH OJJDP AND BJA. WE APPRECIATE YOUR HAVING SET ASIDE THESE THREE DAYS TO JOIN US IN EXPLORING THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

MANY OF YOU ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE. SOME OF YOU HAVE WRITTEN THE DEFINITIVE BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON THE SUBJECT; OTHERS OF YOU HAVE DEVELOPED GROUND-BREAKING PROGRAMS THAT TRANSLATE RESTORATIVE PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE. WE ARE EAGER TO HEAR WHAT YOU PIONEERS HAVE TO TEACHES.

FOR OTHERS OF YOU, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IS A MORE RECENT FOCUS OF ATTENTION. FOR STILL OTHERS, MOST OF YOU, LEADERS IN RELATED FIELDS, THIS IS A NEW AND UNEXPLORED SUBJECT. WHATEVER YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, EACH PERSON HERE BRINGS A VALUABLE PERSPECTIVE TO THE GROUP. YOU HAVE RICHES OF KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE, AND CARING THAT WILL GREATLY BENEFIT THIS DISCUSSION.

THE OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME IS A RELATIVE NEWCOMER TO THIS TOPIC. WHILE RESTITUTION AND HEALING FOR VICTIMS AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF OFFENDERS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE TO US, THE BROADER MOVEMENT KNOWN AS "RESTORATIVE JUSTICE" HAS ONLY RECENTLY ENGAGED OUR ATTENTION. CLEARLY, RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES HAVE GREAT PROMISE FOR VICTIMS AND CAN HELP BRING THEM INTO A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. BUT THERE ARE ALSO SOME SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE ROLE OF VICTIMS THAT WE HOPE THIS CONFERENCE WILL HELP TO ADDRESS.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF SHERRY CRAWFORD, JOHN THOMAS, AND TOM QUINN FROM NIJ AND OVC'S SUSAN LAURENCE. WITHOUT THEM AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF THE OJP INTERAGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE -- WITHOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF AND COMMITMENT TO EXPLORING THIS ISSUE -- THIS CONFERENCE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. WOULD THEY PLEASE STAND?

THIS SYMPOSIUM PRESENTS US WITH A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FROM THE RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES: FROM ALL THE MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE SYSTEM; FROM THE PHILOSOPHERS AND THE PRACTITIONERS; FROM THE ADVOCATES AND THE CRITICS. WE WILL DISCUSS THE HARD QUESTIONS THAT VICTIMS AND OTHERS HAVE RAISED, AS WELL AS LEARN ABOUT THE MANY BENEFITS OF THIS MODEL.

THOSE OF US IN GOVERNMENT ARE KEENLY AWARD THAT THIS IS A TIME OF CHANGE -- OF THE BREAKDOWN OF TRADITIONAL WAYS OF DOING THINGS. OUR HOPE IS THAT, IN THE COURSE OF THE NEXT THREE DAYS, WE CAN MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF IDENTIFYING AND CLARIFYING PATHWAYS TO SOME NEW RESOLUTIONS.

NOW IT IS MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE JEREMY TRAVIS, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF JUSTICE, WHO BRINGS GREAT INSIGHT AND VISION TO EVERY CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUE.