Widely known as “the grandfather of restorative justice,”
Zehr began as a practitioner and theorist in restorative justice in the
late 1970s at the foundational stage of the field. Author of many books
including
The Little Book of Restorative Justice.
We talked about the role of empathy as a foundational value in the
restorative justice movement. Edwin thinks a more accurate term would be
restorative empathy. Howard said, "This vision of mutuality is
supported by neuro science and attachment theory. The new neuro science is
teaching us that we as a human being, our brains are designed to connect
with other people." He feels victims of harm may be resistant to
talking about empathy.
Sub
Conference: Justice
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The Call of
Restorative Justice P1/2 "The First Annual Dr. Liz Elliott Memorial Lecture & Dialogue held at
the Simon Fraser University Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Vancouver, B.C.
November 21, 2011. Keynote Speaker Dr. Howard Zehr - The Call of
Restorative Justice: Tapping, Focusing And Sustaining The Moral
Energy."
18:50 "This vision of mutuality is supported by neuro
science and attachment theory. The new neuro science is teaching us
that we as a human being, our brains are designed to connect
with other people. If you watch an infant as they just being to
mature, they look at you and they're trying to connect. I heard
several neuroscientists looking at Restorative Justice say, the brain
desires to connect with other people and healthy learning healthy
neural pathways, are our learning mechanism ... abuse, no bonding,
19:00 "And as neuro scientists who is looking at Restorative Justice
said, 'You know what works, is nothing reprograms the brain faster
than an experience of empathy, because the brain is designed to work
that way."