Living Restoratively in a Punitive World

Psychologist Mikhail Lyubansky argued that schools, families, and the criminal justice system default to punishment and that restorative processes (dialogue, understanding impact, and collective responsibility) offer a working alternative. He drew on suspension and juvenile recidivism data, his own family conflicts, a documentary about teens who burned a Pennsylvania covered bridge, and the 2010 Seattle police killing of Native wood carver John T. Williams, whose family entered a restorative agreement with the city. The last 20 minutes were audience dialogue, including questions on sexual assault cases.