Restorative justice programs can bring healing to victims' families and perpetrators. But it's not for everyone.
Bridget Sakr would, one day, like to write a letter to the man responsible for the death of her daughter, Veronique."Veronique was witty and funny. She was caring, she was very compassionate."
Like the parents of the other three children killed that evening, Danny and Leila Abdallah, Bridget has chosen to forgive the driver."Even though we've chosen the path of forgiveness, I'm very strong about justice. His sentence is warranted and his time in jail is warranted," she says."But I do believe people have a chance to make right out of wrong and I do want him to get to know Veronique.
"It's important to realise that it's not just a one-off meeting that occurs often," Professor Forsyth says.Debbie McGrath was one of the first people to go through the NSW Restorative Justice Unit after her brother Michael was murdered.Debbie was eight months pregnant when Michael was fatally shot in the chest in March 1991. Glenn Ainsworth was jailed for 16 years for his murder.
"I took a photo of Michael's grave, and I gave it to him, and I said to him, 'This is where we had his 21st. This is where we go every Christmas and every birthday'," Debbie recalls."It's really hard to explain ... it was just everything was shifting, and it was that hatred and anger, and it actually was physically moving.Last year, Danny and Leila Abdallah spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast and Danny revealed he had met with the driver in jail.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Boy, 10, charged over alleged sexual assault of Italian tourist in CairnsA girl has also been dealt with under restorative justice over the alleged broad daylight attack.
Read more »
Eurovision winner Nemo urges Switzerland to bring in third genderThe singer, who is the first non-binary person to triumph at the contest, has called for a meeting with the justice minister
Read more »
Our new Paralympic team uniforms bring the right trends to the runwayDiversity, inclusion and plenty of khaki are key ingredients of the 2024 Paralympic team uniform to be unveiled at Australian Fashion Week.
Read more »
Our new Paralympic team uniforms bring the right trends to the runwayDiversity, inclusion and plenty of khaki are key ingredients of the 2024 Paralympic team uniform to be unveiled at Australian Fashion Week.
Read more »
Our new Paralympic team uniforms bring the right trends to the runwayDiversity, inclusion and plenty of khaki are key ingredients of the 2024 Paralympic team uniform to be unveiled at Australian Fashion Week.
Read more »
US election 2024: What a second Donald Trump presidency could bringThe influential American conservative platform Project 2025 has spent two years crafting a 900-page proposal for key areas of immigration, tax and trade.
Read more »