What's Fair

Restorative justice is defined as:
… a broad term which encompasses a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving and violations of legal and human rights. These range from international peacemaking tribunals such as the South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission to innovations within the criminal and juvenile justice systems, schools, social services and communities. Rather than privileging the law, professionals and the state, restorative resolutions engage those who are harmed, wrongdoers and their affected communities in search of solutions that promote repair, reconciliation and the rebuilding of relationships. Restorative justice seeks to build partnerships to reestablish mutual responsibility for constructive responses to wrongdoing within our communities. Restorative approaches seek a balanced approach to the needs of the victim, wrongdoer and community through processes that preserve the safety and dignity of all"

When reading the topic, I had very little knowlege of the subject in question. Restorative Justice is obviously meaningful actions that help eliminate the harm that has already been caused. One example of this subject would be community service. This was also the first thing that popped into my head. It could be as simple as a direct apology from the wrong doer to the victim of the crime. Now in Higher Education, a University will have obvious limitations to how one should be punished. Some situations will be more severe than others. For incriminating crimes such as assault, violence, and in some cases murder, the obvious choice of expelling that person from the University and even the community will take place. It is hard to say however how one University should deal with the wrong doings of the lesser violations such as plagarism, vandalism, and normal petty crimes.

I wanted to look at this topic from an athletic viewpoint. I feel that all the cliche's and sayings that people should be given a second chance holds true. However, once a University starts to compete at the highest level of Division One athletics, their players should be accountable for their actions in the highest degree. In 2007, two freshman baseball players were expelled from the team immediately following their actions of stealing different items around their lockerroom and dormatory. There was no apology, community service, or any other type of meaningful dialogue with their victims. The simple fact was that if you committed an act that could hurt the physical and emotional status of the team, you were gone. I believe in this as I have been apart of athletics for a long time. There is nothing worse than a team member being lead astray by hurtful actions to the community around the team. For example, we see all the time how professional athletes commit crimes as well as harmful decisions in today's world. Can you imagine the emotional state of that team? Would you think a simple apology, or a meaningful dialogue will bring this team back together? I have found that once an individual chooses to do wrong, it is in the best interest for everyone if that individual is removed so that the other people can move on. In the interest of Universities, students who are in wrong doings probably should be punished in a way lets them satisfy their victims as they let them know that they are guilty of what they did. I wanted to make the argument that this is not the case when a small group or team are trying to achieve a goal where it is vital that the individuals on that team should be together.

Of course, incriminating instances should bar the individual from ever being apart of the team again. But the instances that are chosen by the individuals such as alcohol related situations and drugs should be grounds for dismissal. An example would be a DUI case. This person chose not only to danger his or her life, but the people around them. A simple apology wouldn't suffice. Little things can hurt teams and athletes in today's culture of athletics.