Hi Friends around the world, We have passed this idea around for a few weeks to get feedback, and the response has been all positive and refreshing. We are looking at a proposal to include a mentoring scheme as an extension of the restorative justice structure. The suggestion is to have a person trusted by the offender, in a one-to-one relationship on a daily basis, sometimes live-in, fully paid to give support and guidance. A person who would be a role model and a friend. People accused of serious offences may not be sent to jail if this more controlled option were available. And it is a clear expression of community support, putting money in a positive way where it is needed. It would be important to have the mentor position recallable by the offender and accountable to the offender's community. Precedents are there. Bail - release from jail - is presently granted on the basis of individuals being prepared to offer personal and community support and carry responsibility. But that is unfunded. It would be easy to save money on the youth imprisonment costs presently at $115,000 in NSW, adults at $70,000, and so clearly failing. All the negative aspects of prison would be removed. We would like to collate experiences in the area. In the US apparently there is a YMCA/YWCA big brother/sister scheme for urban youth. Others are called buddy schemes in schools in Australia, even "carers" for disabled people carry some similarities. Would people provide feedback as soon as they can. Maybe the idea can be developed into something to put down government throats? It would be nice to offer an alternative crime-fighting option that works without punishment. Brett Brett Collins Breakout Design & Print (coordinator) Justice Action (a spokesperson) 19 Buckland St, Chippendale, NSW 2008, Australia P.O. Box 386, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice: 61-2-9281-5100 fax: 9281-5303 Please log into the Justice Action Web site, designed and sponsored by Breakout Design & Print, exercising good corporate citizenship: http://www.justiceaction.org.au -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
