Restorative Justice In Practice A Holistic Approach [Paperback]

This collection of essays on restorative justice surveys the different contexts in which restorative justice can be utilized in the practice of law and elsewhere. Restorative justice is itself an elusive concept and the essays show how the meaning of restorative justice can shift depending upon the needs of the parties and the community. Restorative justice is not only related to criminal law and corrections. It is related to all aspects of life and law, including civil disputes, civil rights, interpersonal relationships, and personal growth and self-awareness. Consequently, the essays roam over many fields: housing discrimination, family disputes, the war on drugs, the death penalty, juvenile courts, the law school curriculum, torture, immigration, clergy sexual abuse, international conflicts, yoga, and self-healing. The book calls for action as well as reflection. Sheila M. Murphy is a retired judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. She was presiding judge at the Markham Branch where she heard many ground-breaking criminal cases. She was an attorney with the Cook County Public Defender's Office and the Federal Defender's Office. She also engaged in private practice. After her retirement from the Bench, she was very involved in the movement to abolish the death penalty. She is a graduate of Marquette University and the DePaul Law School. She has been an adjunct professor at The John Marshall Law School since 2001. Michael P. Seng is a professor at The John Marshall Law School where he teaches a variety of courses focused on constitutional law, civil rights, and comparative law. He is the co-director of The John Marshall Law School Fair Housing Legal Support Center and Clinic. He is also the director of International Student Programs at The John Marshall Law School. Before teaching, he was in private practice and was directing attorney for the Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Office in Cairo, Illinois, where he litigated many civil rils„