Restorative Practices in Australia
an article by Tony Dominski

On March 3-5, 2005, the third in a series of three conferences dedicated to the theme of "Building a Global Alliance for Restorative Practices and Family Empowerment," was held in Penrith, New South Wales. The conference was organized by the International Institute for Restorative Practices (IIRP). The IIRP's sister organization, Real Justice Australia, co-hosted the conference.

The conference shared restorative practices that respond to crime and wrongdoing by involving victims, offenders and family and friends. The conference proceedings covered applications in such diverse areas such as school bullying, defusing ethic tensions, making reparations to crime victims, and preventing prisoners from returning to a life of crime.

About 275 people from 13 countries attended the conference, including delegates from all Australian states and territories, Bangladesh, Canada, China, England, Greece, Japan, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Thailand and the United States. The conference brought together individuals working in a wide range of fields, including education, social work, criminal justice, youth justice, policing, corrections, public policy, counseling and academia.

I read a number of conference papers on the website and was fascinated by many innovative ways by which wrongdoers and victims can brought together for mutual healing. The article "Reflections of a Practitioner" by Dennis Sing-Wing Wong, Associate Professor, City University of Hong Kong and Chairman, Centre for Restoration of Human Relationships Hong Kong, China, was especially eye-opening. I was surprised to learn that mediation rather than legal action was the favored method of settling disputes in ancient China, and the tradition is still in widespread though currently declining. Professor Wong, a former juvenile delinquent from a working class background was influenced by his pastor to heal his relationships with his family and the people he hurt. Wong's personal transformation to his life's work illuminates the grand potential of restorative practices.

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