Elizabeth Beck – författare

The press called Martin's actions a "crime spree." Already convicted of armed robbery, Martin was facing the death penalty. In less than two weeks the jury would decide his fate. Terrified that his son would be sentenced to die, Phillip did the only thing he felt he could do: in an act of faith and desperation in his garage with the car exhaust running, Phillip made the consummate sacrifice to spare his son the ultimate punishment. Ironically, his suicide presented Martin's with another chance at life; the jury, moved by Martin's loss, spared his life.Phillip's story-like those of the other parents, siblings, children, and cousins chronicled in this book-vividly illustrates the precarious position family members of capital offenders occupy in the criminal justice system. At once outsiders and victims, they live in the shadow of death, crushed by trauma, grief, and helplessness. In this penetrating account of guilt and innocence, shame and triumph, devastating loss and ultimate redemption, the voices of these family members add a new dimension to debates about capital punishment and how communities can prevent and address crime.Restorative justice theory, which views violent crime as an extreme violation of relationships, searches for ways to hold offenders accountable and meet the needs of victims and communities torn apart by the crime, organizes these narratives and integrates offenders' families into the process of transforming conflict and promoting justice and healing for all. What emerges from hundreds of hours' worth of in-depth interviews with family members of offenders and victims, legal teams, and leaders in the abolition and restorative justice movements is a vision of justice strongly rooted in the social fabric of communities. Showing that forgiveness and recovery are possible in the wake of even the most heinous crimes, while holding victims' stories sacred, this eye-opening book bridges the pain of living in the shadow of death with the possibility of a reparative form of justice.Anyone working with victims, offenders, and their families-from lawyers and social workers to mediators and activists-will find this riveting work indispensable to their efforts.

The press called Martin's actions a "crime spree." Terrified that his son would be sentenced to die, Martin's father Phillip committed suicide; ironically, the jury, moved by this desperate act, spared Martin's life. Phillip's story, like those of the other parents, siblings, children, and cousins chronicled here, vividly illustrates the precarious position occupied by capital offenders' families. Living in the shadow of death, they are crushed by trauma, grief, and helplessness. In this penetrating account of guilt and innocence, shame and triumph, devastating loss and ultimate redemption, their voices add a new dimension to the debate about capital punishment. These narratives are woven together by restorative justice theory, which holds offenders accountable while searching for ways to mend the communities and lives torn apart by their crimes and integrating offenders' families into the process of promoting justice and healing. What emerges from myriad in-depth interviews with offenders' and victims' families, legal teams, and leaders in the abolition and restorative justice movements is a vision of justice rooted in the social fabric of communities, showing that forgiveness and recovery are possible even after terrible crimes. While holding victims' stories sacred, this eye-opening book bridges the pain of living in the shadow of death with the possibility of a reparative form of justice. Anyone working with victims, offenders, and their families - from lawyers and social workers to mediators and activists - will find it indispensable to their efforts.

Restorative justice and social work share a number of principles and goals, as they both seek to stem violence and to address the pain associated with harm. Many of the processes used by restorative justice practitioners are based on indigenous practices that facilitate peacemaking, victim healing and reparation, and reengagement of offenders. As a method for transforming conflict, restorative justice can be viewed as a theory, a principle, a practice, and a skill set. Each of these components has the ability to inform and strengthen social work practice and restorative practices can be enhanced by the knowledge, practice modes, and interdisciplinary interaction pioneered by social work.As the first book of its kind, Social Work and Restorative Justice examines the ways that these two disciplines intersect. Each chapter engages readers in an in-depth exploration of the history and contemporary realities of both disciplines, presenting vivid case studies in practice areas such as school settings, communities, domestic violence, homicide, prisons, child welfare, and gerontology. Social workers and restorative justice practitioners collaborate on each chapter, outlining specific intervention approaches and practice principles that integrate the strengths of each approach in cases ranging from the commonplace contradiction of punishing public school students for behavioral problems by depriving them of the opportunity to learn from their mistakes to the role that both social work and restorative processes have played in the rebuilding of Liberia. In a holistic and critical exploration of how these fields can work together more effectively, the book's authors also importantly highlight tensions between their values, skills, and interventions, such as the risks and benefits of employing restorative justice techniques in a prison setting.Innovative and forward thinking, Social Work and Restorative Justice presents a synergistic practice model that will improve the effectiveness of social workers and restorative justice practitioners who seek to bring about healing and recovery in families and communities.