Can we transform the way we address harm?

Missed the previous newsletters in the series? Read #1, #2.

We currently live with a punitive justice system. People are isolated into prisons where conditions are violent and traumatizing, and people of marginalized identities continue to be most impacted by it. It's a system that addresses violence with violence. Does this make us feel safer? Does it respect our humanity?

Transformative justice offers a way to address harm and violence that seeks to address the root causes of that harm and violence to prevent it from happening in the future. Root causes include systemic issues like poverty, racism, patriarchy, and poor access to healthcare. TJ also tries to address harm and violence without creating more harm and violence. The graphic below provides some comparisons between different forms of justice:

On a lavender background are three columns of text comparing different forms of justice. Under the punitive justice, text reads: 1. When someone breaks a rule, they are given a pre-determined punishment; 2. The state (cops, courts, prisons) is the offended party; 3. Removes and isolates people from communities as punishment, assumes this will stop rule-breaking; Blame is put on the individual, not systemic problems. Under restorative justice, text reads: 1. When a person harms others, they must do work to restore the community to what it was before (via mediation, community service, classes, etc); 2. Individuals and the community are the harmed parties; 3. People remain a part of the community as they repair the harm; 4. The person who harmed is responsible for repair, systemic problems are not examined and remain intact. Under transformative justice, text reads: 1. When a person harms others, people work together to determine accountability AND to examine systemic issues that contributed to the harm occurring; 2. A person can be both someone who caused harm and has been harmed; 3. Views the community and larger society as responsible for change; 4. Creates actions to prevent harm from happening in the first place. Info is adapted from "Punitive, Restorative, and Transformative Justice: The Basics" by AORTA & "What is Transformative Justice?" YouTube video by Barnard Center for Research on Women

This video provides a great introduction to TJ:

A thumbnail link to a YouTube video entitled, "What is transformative justice?"

After reviewing the above materials with your group, think about an occurrence of harm that happened in your school or community. Discuss:

What happened and what was the response?
Of the three kinds of justice, which did the response align with most? What have been the positive and negative impacts of that kind of response?
Apply a transformative justice approach to the occurrence. What is the larger context, the root causes, or systemic issues that might have contributed to the harm occurring?
What needs to change to address those bigger issues? What is one action you can take now?

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A screen shot from a Houston Public Media article, entitled: Katy school students come together as censorship of LGBTQ+ voices ramps up. Article is writen by Dominic Anthony Walsh and was posted on December 13, 2022 and last updated on December 14, 2022. The subheading reads: In October, students at Katy ISD pushed school officials to lift filters blocking websites with LGBTQ+ resources in some of its high schools. We’re keeping up with those students as they navigate a school year fraught with book bans and other censorship. Below the subheader is a photo of Cinco Ranch High School GSA Gabe member in front of a round table covered in LGBTQ pins. They are smiling with mouth open and holding up the ASL sign for "I love you" with both hands.

What else did @cinco.gsa do this year? Their officers took a stand against censorship and spoke with the press! 👏👏👏

Go to bit.ly/katyisd-censorship to read the full article.

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