Crime and justice

Mennonites often address criminal justice through a lens of restorative justice, which attempts to heal the wounds that crime inflicts. Restorative justice recognizes that crime violates relationships and that it engages many stakeholders - victim, offender, community and government – and seeks to answer the following questions: How can healing occur? What consequences and obligations have been created? How can repairs be made? What support is needed? How can respect be shown for all parties and dignity be rebuilt? What are the roles of community, collaboration and reintegration? How can things be made right as possible?

The Washington Office monitors policy and encourages advocacy in the following areas: restorative justice, juvenile justice, gun violence prevention, prison/sentencing alternatives, racial disparities.

Photo credit: Kevin H./Flickr