RJ Prison visit

Monday 13/10/14 I managed to join a Restorative Justice group and go in to Voorberg prison to run a RJ session (normally for a foreighner it takes about 6 months to apply for a visit). The facilitators are made up of volunteer pensioners and nuns with a priest leading them.

In the prison, the prisoners with the orange uniform or white (kitchen staff) were already sat down waiting for us. As I entered the room I felt a little nervous as all the prisoners turned and starred at me. The priest reassured me that it was ok and it was just that they hadn't seen a young female in a loong time (Don't think that was the most reassuring but any how). I was in a room with 24male prisoners in for various serious crime ranging from murder, rape armed robber, GBH , Fraud and other crimes. 5 facilitators and a priest.

Even though I was a little nervous at first, once the sessions started the nerves quickly vanished.
The priest started of with prayers, then a prisoner played his guitar as everyone sang an African song.
The priest spoke about biblical stories and how they relate to real life and to the prisoners. Even though it was very Christian based the priest did refer to other religions as well.
During the group activities I sat on a table with these dangerous criminals and it just felt like I was sat with your ordinary person. We did group work around their individual crime, how they tried to hide their crime , which lead to more crime, how their actions affected their family, victim and community.
The prisoners were very receptive and they worked very well together also allowing me to take part. At the end of each session someone would get up and present to the rest of the groups.
I saw sadness, guilt and regret in these prisoners. They had started learning about themselves during these RJ sessions and how they had affected so many people around them due to their actions. They were also growing more confident in speaking about their crime and by opening up they were also healing themselves.
The leader of my group was a very big muscly man in for armed robbery. He  kept saying how he really wanted to see his victim and apologise because the sadness on his victims face haunted him.

Being sat with these men, I did not feel like I was sat with prisoners, they were just human beings who had taken the wrong path and had done extremely awful things. RJ had given them a second chance and they were actually able to live again.

Ok so my blogging has been slacking … and that is because the wifi at my hotel has been awful.

Update…
Since I have been in Cape Town I have been trying to keep to my itinerary which I have worked hard to arrange since I got awarded this fellowship. However the organisation I have been in contact with have actually got my project wrong and where I am focusing on Juveniles, they have got it down as adults.

So far I have been going to the office and planning my day on a daily basis or going to organisations and places that have anything to do with Restorative Justice and Juveniles. This has been a little difficult as people are very busy and cannot always fit me in. Also to get to certain places in this field, as a foreigner I have to apply well in advance and with short notice this has proved to be quite difficult.

Even though I am unable to follow my itinerary I have managed to accomplish the following…

Thurs 2nd Oct: Community court - Adult diversion

Fri 3rd Oct: Community Court - Juvenile diversion.
                                                 - Preliminary assessment with probation officer.
                                                 - Court hearings for the various juvenile cases.

Sat 4th/Sun 5th : Tutu Foundation workshop with university students.
Mon 6th: I was asked to do the key note speech at the Tutu Symposium as a woman of Peace on the ground.

Tues 7th: Took part in a diversion programme for first time juvenile sexual offenders.

Wed 8th: The police investigation team took me through what they do.

Thurs 9th: Attended an Restorative Justice group's meeting/workshop. These facilitators work in a juvenile prison. (Managed to persuade them to take me to the prison, which has been arranged for Monday).

Friday 10th: Insight of RJ workers and their current cases.


I have learnt a lot especially as their criminal procedure is very different from ours.
Seems like the police in the Metropolitan police service are more advanced in their way of dealing with cases before the cases reach the court however in South Africa everything goes through the court system.

Freedom Our Responsibility Conference

I missed day1 of the 'Freedom our responsibly' conference in Bloemfontein South Africa.

Ginn and Letlappa did their talk on how Restorative Justice and how it worked for them on conflicting sides. Please watch a short Youtube clip, showing their story….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=texHUizgwMw

I am amongst people from all over the world mainly from Africa who have experienced conflict or are still living through conflict in their country. They have such humility, graciousness and strength, I feel humbled to be amongst them and I have a lot to learn.

Marina Cantacuzina did a talk on the Forgiveness project how story telling is apart of healing.

Tomorrow we have a day trip to Platfontein, where we will meet locals, very exited!

Preparing for my Winston Churchill Fellowship Journey to South Africa

Its the 26th of September and in exactly 18hours I will be on my flight to South Africa!!!!

Ahhhh! I am feeling anxious, nervous and very excited! I have packed my luggage , unpacked then re-packed hopefully I have got everything.

Ok the important bit…. I am researching how 'Restorative Justice can be used to prevent Juvenile offenders from Re-offending'

I will start my journey in Bloemfontein taking part in a conference "Freedom - Our Responsibility".
From there I will be heading to Cape town to meet the amazing organisation Khulisa who will be showing me how they use Restorative Justice to reduce offending behaviour. Whilst in Cape Town, I am hoping to attend the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Peace talk.

My journey will continue to Johannesburg with Khulisa where I will meet the South African Police service and spend time with them and learn how they deal with crime.


I shall keep you updated how my journey goes…….