if you could please indulge me for just one second I want you to think about
one second I want you to think about
one second I want you to think about your cell phone what a marvelous piece
your cell phone what a marvelous piece
your cell phone what a marvelous piece of technology that is their instant
of technology that is their instant
of technology that is their instant connection with the world enormous
connection with the world enormous
connection with the world enormous computing power in your hand and that is
computing power in your hand and that is
computing power in your hand and that is something that technology is something
something that technology is something
something that technology is something that we take for granted every day
unlike a CEO of a technology company as
unlike a CEO of a technology company as a judge I sit in a system that has
a judge I sit in a system that has
a judge I sit in a system that has evolved very little in these last
evolved very little in these last
evolved very little in these last hundred two hundred years and that
hundred two hundred years and that
hundred two hundred years and that failure to evolve is crippling our
failure to evolve is crippling our
failure to evolve is crippling our children and the communities they live
children and the communities they live
children and the communities they live in now I remember when I was 16 I think
in now I remember when I was 16 I think
in now I remember when I was 16 I think I was 16 yeah and at that point I was
I was 16 yeah and at that point I was
I was 16 yeah and at that point I was invincible I knew everything no one
invincible I knew everything no one
invincible I knew everything no one could tell me anything any of you kind
could tell me anything any of you kind
could tell me anything any of you kind of recall with that yeah right you know
of recall with that yeah right you know
of recall with that yeah right you know that can you think of the things that
that can you think of the things that
that can you think of the things that you did wrong that you didn’t get caught
you did wrong that you didn’t get caught
you did wrong that you didn’t get caught at that were you to tell the person you
at that were you to tell the person you
at that were you to tell the person you were with today you’d be completely
were with today you’d be completely
were with today you’d be completely embarrassed by right you know youth of
embarrassed by right you know youth of
embarrassed by right you know youth of every background and culture go through
every background and culture go through
every background and culture go through this same process of hormones bravado
this same process of hormones bravado
this same process of hormones bravado resistance to Authority I forgot to
resistance to Authority I forgot to
resistance to Authority I forgot to mention I was very resistant to
mention I was very resistant to
mention I was very resistant to Authority and stupidity and the problem
Authority and stupidity and the problem
Authority and stupidity and the problem is though when youth of color engaged in
is though when youth of color engaged in
is though when youth of color engaged in these behaviors that their future self
these behaviors that their future self
these behaviors that their future self would be embarrassed by they often find
would be embarrassed by they often find
would be embarrassed by they often find the opportunity then come to meet with
the opportunity then come to meet with
the opportunity then come to meet with me mister criminal justice system and
me mister criminal justice system and
me mister criminal justice system and when they meet me I often times change
when they meet me I often times change
when they meet me I often times change their lives
their lives
their lives utterly and irreversibly I’ve watched
utterly and irreversibly I’ve watched
utterly and irreversibly I’ve watched this happen in our system and that’s why
this happen in our system and that’s why
this happen in our system and that’s why I’m now talking
I’m now talking
I’m now talking ooh about restorative principles you see
ooh about restorative principles you see
ooh about restorative principles you see because I’m tired of a system that is
because I’m tired of a system that is
because I’m tired of a system that is engaged in a continuous punitive
engaged in a continuous punitive
engaged in a continuous punitive measures models
especially when that information that
especially when that information that the reality is those punitive measures
the reality is those punitive measures
the reality is those punitive measures just pull them deeper into our system I
just pull them deeper into our system I
just pull them deeper into our system I mean we as a society and a community
mean we as a society and a community
mean we as a society and a community should don’t shouldn’t our
should don’t shouldn’t our
should don’t shouldn’t our responsibility to be about how to let
responsibility to be about how to let
responsibility to be about how to let them become that taxpaying law-abiding
them become that taxpaying law-abiding
them become that taxpaying law-abiding citizen and not be so terribly harmed by
citizen and not be so terribly harmed by
citizen and not be so terribly harmed by their actions we certainly don’t want
their actions we certainly don’t want
their actions we certainly don’t want them to harm themselves or other in that
them to harm themselves or other in that
them to harm themselves or other in that process now we get to the point you know
process now we get to the point you know
process now we get to the point you know I keep on looking at the world that I
I keep on looking at the world that I
I keep on looking at the world that I want to see where our community is
want to see where our community is
want to see where our community is engaged in a collaborative model of
engaged in a collaborative model of
engaged in a collaborative model of engaging our youth and resolving those
engaging our youth and resolving those
engaging our youth and resolving those conflict where we have shifted from of
conflict where we have shifted from of
conflict where we have shifted from of this punitive model to a strength-based
this punitive model to a strength-based
this punitive model to a strength-based model where we are actually listening to
model where we are actually listening to
model where we are actually listening to our youth and their voice to determine
our youth and their voice to determine
our youth and their voice to determine what the intervention should look like
what the intervention should look like
what the intervention should look like where detention is something that is
where detention is something that is
where detention is something that is rarely used except in the most serious
rarely used except in the most serious
rarely used except in the most serious are extreme cases where are the science
are extreme cases where are the science
are extreme cases where are the science of adolescent brain development drives
of adolescent brain development drives
of adolescent brain development drives us drives our interventions so we can
us drives our interventions so we can
us drives our interventions so we can find that greater person now my belief
find that greater person now my belief
find that greater person now my belief is restorative principles can bring that
is restorative principles can bring that
is restorative principles can bring that vision to life now what is restorative
vision to life now what is restorative
vision to life now what is restorative principles well it talks about
principles well it talks about
principles well it talks about accountability the person who has
accountability the person who has
accountability the person who has engaged in the action needs to be held
engaged in the action needs to be held
engaged in the action needs to be held accountable acknowledge the act and be
accountable acknowledge the act and be
accountable acknowledge the act and be held accountable it talks about the
held accountable it talks about the
held accountable it talks about the person who is harmed the victim is made
person who is harmed the victim is made
person who is harmed the victim is made homes not just financially but also
homes not just financially but also
homes not just financially but also emotionally and spiritually and finally
emotionally and spiritually and finally
emotionally and spiritually and finally it talks about the community leveraging
it talks about the community leveraging
it talks about the community leveraging the resources of the community to create
the resources of the community to create
the resources of the community to create a better outcome where they embrace both
a better outcome where they embrace both
a better outcome where they embrace both the person who is armed and the person
the person who is armed and the person
the person who is armed and the person who did the harm because there’s a
who did the harm because there’s a
who did the harm because there’s a better way forward in that way now you
better way forward in that way now you
better way forward in that way now you may have heard of a recent case that we
may have heard of a recent case that we
may have heard of a recent case that we had in our court and that employed the
had in our court and that employed the
had in our court and that employed the restorative principles process we had a
restorative principles process we had a
restorative principles process we had a young man who decided he wanted to take
young man who decided he wanted to take
young man who decided he wanted to take the property of someone else and it was
the property of someone else and it was
the property of someone else and it was by threat of force
by threat of force
by threat of force shoes and phone our normal process would
shoes and phone our normal process would
shoes and phone our normal process would have resulted in this young person
have resulted in this young person
have resulted in this young person sitting being incarcerated for a period
sitting being incarcerated for a period
sitting being incarcerated for a period of two to two and a half years and in
of two to two and a half years and in
of two to two and a half years and in juvenile prison at a cost of over two
juvenile prison at a cost of over two
juvenile prison at a cost of over two hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers
hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers
hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers money but we tried something different
money but we tried something different
money but we tried something different we allowed him to participate in a
we allowed him to participate in a
we allowed him to participate in a restorative principles model called
restorative principles model called
restorative principles model called peacemaking circles after ten months
peacemaking circles after ten months
peacemaking circles after ten months hundreds of hours from that young man
hundreds of hours from that young man
hundreds of hours from that young man and thousands of hours from our
and thousands of hours from our
and thousands of hours from our community he was able to able to create
community he was able to able to create
community he was able to able to create a support system around him that created
a support system around him that created
a support system around him that created a vision of him being that law abiding
a vision of him being that law abiding
a vision of him being that law abiding contributing member of our society
now this is not a soft on crime model
now this is not a soft on crime model are hug-a-bug models but rather this is
are hug-a-bug models but rather this is
are hug-a-bug models but rather this is a more holistic way to deal with the
a more holistic way to deal with the
a more holistic way to deal with the person harmed the victim and that youth
person harmed the victim and that youth
person harmed the victim and that youth and the community because that person
and the community because that person
and the community because that person that that young man has to get his
that that young man has to get his
that that young man has to get his respect back in the eyes of the
respect back in the eyes of the
respect back in the eyes of the community as well this is a way so we
community as well this is a way so we
community as well this is a way so we can come up with instead of always
can come up with instead of always
can come up with instead of always lose-lose situations maybe a win-win
lose-lose situations maybe a win-win
lose-lose situations maybe a win-win situation
situation
situation this is a paradigm shift because we
this is a paradigm shift because we
this is a paradigm shift because we incarcerate people we think
incarcerate people we think
incarcerate people we think incarceration is the answer
incarceration is the answer
incarceration is the answer United States 5% of the world’s
United States 5% of the world’s
United States 5% of the world’s population incarcerate s–
population incarcerate s–
population incarcerate s– 25% of the incarceration population in
25% of the incarceration population in
25% of the incarceration population in the world yeah that’s that that is stark
the world yeah that’s that that is stark
the world yeah that’s that that is stark numbers but this is a process by which
numbers but this is a process by which
numbers but this is a process by which we are embracing the the community is
we are embracing the the community is
we are embracing the the community is embracing all of the players to come up
embracing all of the players to come up
embracing all of the players to come up with different outcomes you know the
with different outcomes you know the
with different outcomes you know the reality is is the outcomes of our
reality is is the outcomes of our
reality is is the outcomes of our criminal justice system have been
criminal justice system have been
criminal justice system have been devastating on communities of color and
devastating on communities of color and
devastating on communities of color and even our law even our schools are
even our law even our schools are
even our law even our schools are engaging in a model that has having this
engaging in a model that has having this
engaging in a model that has having this disproportionate impact on youth of
disproportionate impact on youth of
disproportionate impact on youth of color they are being expelled and
color they are being expelled and
color they are being expelled and suspended from schools
suspended from schools
suspended from schools disproportionately and this really leads
disproportionately and this really leads
disproportionately and this really leads into the conversation of what about
into the conversation of what about
into the conversation of what about institutional racism because as a youth
institutional racism because as a youth
institutional racism because as a youth of color you are seven times more likely
of color you are seven times more likely
of color you are seven times more likely to have your case presented to the load
to have your case presented to the load
to have your case presented to the load of the legal system than a white youth
of the legal system than a white youth
of the legal system than a white youth you are five times more likely to have
you are five times more likely to have
you are five times more likely to have your case formally charges filed against
your case formally charges filed against
your case formally charges filed against you than a white youth and after you go
you than a white youth and after you go
you than a white youth and after you go through the process and and if you are
through the process and and if you are
through the process and and if you are indeed found guilty you are 11 times
indeed found guilty you are 11 times
indeed found guilty you are 11 times more likely to find yourself locked up
more likely to find yourself locked up
more likely to find yourself locked up in secure detention now secure detention
in secure detention now secure detention
in secure detention now secure detention is a place where 85% of the population
is a place where 85% of the population
is a place where 85% of the population are youth of color and of course they
are youth of color and of course they
are youth of color and of course they only represent 35% of the population
only represent 35% of the population
only represent 35% of the population general population well you might say
general population well you might say
general population well you might say Wesley really an institutional racism
Wesley really an institutional racism
Wesley really an institutional racism you know my response is well you know
you know my response is well you know
you know my response is well you know this I know judges I know police
this I know judges I know police
this I know judges I know police officers I know
officers I know
officers I know probation officers defense attorneys and
probation officers defense attorneys and
probation officers defense attorneys and they are not none of them are overtly
they are not none of them are overtly
they are not none of them are overtly racist they don’t call me the n-word in
racist they don’t call me the n-word in
racist they don’t call me the n-word in my courtroom at least to my face but I’m
my courtroom at least to my face but I’m
my courtroom at least to my face but I’m looking at the numbers and the numbers
looking at the numbers and the numbers
looking at the numbers and the numbers tell me that youth of color people of
tell me that youth of color people of
tell me that youth of color people of color are brought into our system and
color are brought into our system and
color are brought into our system and incarcerate it at massively
incarcerate it at massively
incarcerate it at massively disproportionate rates and there’s
disproportionate rates and there’s
disproportionate rates and there’s something wrong there so my belief is
something wrong there so my belief is
something wrong there so my belief is that
I would encourage you you know there’s a
I would encourage you you know there’s a professor Alexander Michelle Alexander
professor Alexander Michelle Alexander
professor Alexander Michelle Alexander wrote the book the new Jim Crow if you
wrote the book the new Jim Crow if you
wrote the book the new Jim Crow if you haven’t read I’ve encourage you to do so
she notes that institutional racism has
she notes that institutional racism has had these devastating effects in our
had these devastating effects in our
had these devastating effects in our communities of color and she knows when
communities of color and she knows when
communities of color and she knows when you eliminate generations and that’s a
you eliminate generations and that’s a
you eliminate generations and that’s a plural generations of leaders from the
plural generations of leaders from the
plural generations of leaders from the community than black and brown youth
community than black and brown youth
community than black and brown youth have no role models on which to base
have no role models on which to base
have no role models on which to base their behavior
their behavior
their behavior now restorative principles works you
now restorative principles works you
now restorative principles works you know we have some examples because it
know we have some examples because it
know we have some examples because it uplifts the individual it reestablishes
uplifts the individual it reestablishes
uplifts the individual it reestablishes a sense of respect by the community
a sense of respect by the community
a sense of respect by the community toward the individual and restores the
toward the individual and restores the
toward the individual and restores the individuals personal work New Zealand in
individuals personal work New Zealand in
individuals personal work New Zealand in the country of New Zealand it first it
the country of New Zealand it first it
the country of New Zealand it first it takes a lot of energy and effort to make
takes a lot of energy and effort to make
takes a lot of energy and effort to make a system change that pushes us this
a system change that pushes us this
a system change that pushes us this direction New Zealand has been operating
direction New Zealand has been operating
direction New Zealand has been operating restorative principle program since 1989
restorative principle program since 1989
restorative principle program since 1989 and the interesting thing is that in the
and the interesting thing is that in the
and the interesting thing is that in the course of that today 80 percent of the
course of that today 80 percent of the
course of that today 80 percent of the cases that used to be presented to their
cases that used to be presented to their
cases that used to be presented to their youth court are now resolved by way of
youth court are now resolved by way of
youth court are now resolved by way of diversion police diversion community
diversion police diversion community
diversion police diversion community versions with supportive evidence based
versions with supportive evidence based
versions with supportive evidence based programs behind it and 80 percent of
programs behind it and 80 percent of
programs behind it and 80 percent of those cases that successfully complete
those cases that successfully complete
those cases that successfully complete that diversionary action never come back
that diversionary action never come back
that diversionary action never come back to court again Russell
now the 20% of cases that actually come
now the 20% of cases that actually come to court these are typically very
to court these are typically very
to court these are typically very serious cases very complex issues
serious cases very complex issues
serious cases very complex issues involved in them 60% of those cases who
involved in them 60% of those cases who
involved in them 60% of those cases who participate who successfully can
participate who successfully can
participate who successfully can participate in the family group
participate in the family group
participate in the family group conferencing which is the restorative
conferencing which is the restorative
conferencing which is the restorative principal model never come back to court
principal model never come back to court
principal model never come back to court so this this works you know we have to
so this this works you know we have to
so this this works you know we have to be courageous and stepping forward as a
be courageous and stepping forward as a
be courageous and stepping forward as a systems as community to do everything we
systems as community to do everything we
systems as community to do everything we can to because what we’ve been doing I’m
can to because what we’ve been doing I’m
can to because what we’ve been doing I’m sorry that’s not working so good now the
sorry that’s not working so good now the
sorry that’s not working so good now the interesting thing is the programs that
interesting thing is the programs that
interesting thing is the programs that New Zealand is using are the
New Zealand is using are the
New Zealand is using are the evidence-based programs are Washington
evidence-based programs are Washington
evidence-based programs are Washington state validated program so these are
state validated program so these are
state validated program so these are things that we know how to do we just
things that we know how to do we just
things that we know how to do we just have to restructure ourselves so that we
have to restructure ourselves so that we
have to restructure ourselves so that we can do them effectively you know but
can do them effectively you know but
can do them effectively you know but this is larger than just a justice issue
this is larger than just a justice issue
this is larger than just a justice issue that’s why I call I use the term
that’s why I call I use the term
that’s why I call I use the term restorative principles because when you
restorative principles because when you
restorative principles because when you use restorative justice they say oh
use restorative justice they say oh
use restorative justice they say oh that’s a court issue we don’t have to
that’s a court issue we don’t have to
that’s a court issue we don’t have to deal with this but the issue the the
deal with this but the issue the the
deal with this but the issue the the these the reality of institutional
these the reality of institutional
these the reality of institutional racism is evident everywhere schools
racism is evident everywhere schools
racism is evident everywhere schools behavior health housing employment you
behavior health housing employment you
behavior health housing employment you name the sector of our community and
name the sector of our community and
name the sector of our community and there are manifestations of
there are manifestations of
there are manifestations of institutional racism see in my belief is
institutional racism see in my belief is
institutional racism see in my belief is that by implementing carefully
that by implementing carefully
that by implementing carefully implementing programs based upon
implementing programs based upon
implementing programs based upon restorative principles we can start
restorative principles we can start
restorative principles we can start dismantling that process and create new
dismantling that process and create new
dismantling that process and create new relationships that our community would
relationships that our community would
relationships that our community would benefit from our world would actually
benefit from our world would actually
benefit from our world would actually benefit from you know I’ve been a judge
benefit from you know I’ve been a judge
benefit from you know I’ve been a judge now for thirty years and before that ten
now for thirty years and before that ten
now for thirty years and before that ten years as an attorney
years as an attorney
years as an attorney and this is the most hopeful criminal
and this is the most hopeful criminal
and this is the most hopeful criminal justice reform that I’ve ever seen I
justice reform that I’ve ever seen I
justice reform that I’ve ever seen I have you know but I gotta be honest with
have you know but I gotta be honest with
have you know but I gotta be honest with you I was a skeptical and reluctant
you I was a skeptical and reluctant
you I was a skeptical and reluctant participant in this program absolutely
participant in this program absolutely
participant in this program absolutely are you kidding me I’m not gonna do that
are you kidding me I’m not gonna do that
are you kidding me I’m not gonna do that but you know I began to trust the
but you know I began to trust the
but you know I began to trust the process and to believe in the process
process and to believe in the process
process and to believe in the process and I felt personal transformation it’s
and I felt personal transformation it’s
and I felt personal transformation it’s occurring you know and as I watched this
occurring you know and as I watched this
occurring you know and as I watched this young man mature and and become this
young man mature and and become this
young man mature and and become this caring empathetic contributing member of
caring empathetic contributing member of
caring empathetic contributing member of our society I was struck by what’s
our society I was struck by what’s
our society I was struck by what’s possible with commitment and focus the
possible with commitment and focus the
possible with commitment and focus the reality is jail does is not an effective
reality is jail does is not an effective
reality is jail does is not an effective change agent for youth and I’m here to
change agent for youth and I’m here to
change agent for youth and I’m here to bear witness to an institution that is
bear witness to an institution that is
bear witness to an institution that is right for change because our kids are
right for change because our kids are
right for change because our kids are our families our communities in our
our families our communities in our
our families our communities in our future deserve better
future deserve better
future deserve better [Applause]
”
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