From Atlin, Alaska to Auckland, New Zealand; from Vancouver Island to the islands of the South Pacific, a phenomenon known as Restorative Justice is creating "sea-change" among the nations in how justice is done.

Restorative justice is a philosophy, a way of life based upon living in right relationship with one another within community. Restorative justice approaches begin with a redefinition of crime: crime is harm done to persons. In these approaches, crime and conflict are seen fundamentally as violations of people and interpersonal relationships, creating obligations and liabilities. It follows, therefore, that true justice will seek to heal, to the greatest degree possible, people and relationships and to fulfill the obligations that exist.

Restorative justice initiatives seek to create meaningful opportunities:

	for those who have suffered harm to be involved, to have a voice and to seek healing
	for those who have caused harm to fulfill their obligations
	for communities to find ways of mending and re-weaving what has been torn in the fabric of community through crime and conflict

Using plenary lectures, stories and videotaped segments from actual victim offender cases conducted in prisons, this conference will explore:

	the philosophical foundations of Restorative Justice, its values and principles
	the spiritual roots of Restorative Justice in Jewish, Christian and Muslim faith traditions
	examples of promising Restorative Justice models in use internationally
	the outcomes and implications of these models for healing, rehabilitation, treatment and trauma recovery
	the crippling power of unhealed shame as a product of crime and conflict
	the Sermon on the Mount - the Law interpreted in a higher key
	the mandate of the Paraclete [the One called alongside] to heal, to deliver and to empower any who would offer themselves for the mantle and the mandate of this ministry