By Chris Mangatal

Effectively integrating ex-cons back into the community

Nov 20, 2012 | 5:54 AM

It's Restorative Justice Week across Canada, a time when several community organizations promote the idea that healing, not punishment, is the key to helping people in the justice system.

A group of these organizations got together in Saskatoon Monday night for an open house at the Indian and Metis Friendship Centre.

“The traditional justice system looks at the state, or the crown, or the community as being harmed, but really we're talking about individuals,” said Robert McGavin, co-ordinator with the Restorative Circles Initiative.

“We get together with other groups to help the courts make more informed decisions by acknowledging the differences in youths lives and the challenges that they face.”

The John Howard Society was also at the open house.

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“We work with people who have been ostracized from the community, who are coming out of the criminal justice system, or who are facing a criminal charge and are given an alternative to going through the court system,” said program co-ordinator Ashala Naidu.

The organization has several programs to help youths that are first time offenders, or are charged with a non-serious offence.

“We just want to offer a welcoming environment to people who need a little bit of extra support in the community,” she said.

When it comes to crimes, sexual offences are considered among the worst.

“We all hear about these sex offenders when they're being released from prison and what terrible people they are, but our role is to befriend those people and to help them to keep from re-offending,” said Dave Feick, with the Micah Mission.

“Some people want to see these offenders locked away and forgotten, but they're people too… many of them are very normal people that have just made some very serious mistakes.”

According to Feick, everyone should have a group that will offer support and be there for them, no matter the crime.

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