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67 Rev. Jur. U.P.R. 605 (1998)
Criminal Justice and Public Policy Concerns of Community Conferences: Some Observations on Community Conferences: Shame and Anger in Therapeutic Jurisprudence by Thomas Scheff

handle is hein.journals/rjupurco67 and id is 619 raw text is: CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC POLICY CONCERNS OF COMMUNITY CONFERENCES: SOME OBSERVATIONS ON COMMUNITY CONFERENCES: SHAME AND ANGER IN THERAPEUTIC JURISPRUDENCE BY THOMAS SCHEFF DENISE ARMSTRONG* Professor Scheff correctly notes the increasing attention to crime in Western societies. In Canada's last federal election, the Reform Party which now forms the Queen's Loyal Opposition in Parliament campaigned strongly on revamping the country's lax (or perceived as lax) criminal laws, with particular emphasis on the Young Offenders Act. Canadians also enjoy discounts on auto insurance if the car has an installed anti-theft alarm; we pay more if we live in a so-called high crime area. Yet Canada has not adopted the same pattern of other countries in the ma- jor expansion or building of new prisons; instead there is an in- creasing movement towards expanding sentencing options to avoid burgeoning or uncontrollable prison populations. Professor Scheff applies restorative justice and therapeutic ju- risprudence frameworks to a diversion program called commu- nity conferences. A similar program in Canada is circle sentenc- ing. Based on the same premise that the community take responsibility for its well-being and the well-being of its mem- bers, circle sentencing aims to meet the needs of the offenders, victims and their communities. At the sentencing hearing, par- ticipants sit facing each other thereby facilitating discussion. This format also removes the traditional dominance of judges and lawyers, encourages free flow of information, stimulates community members' participation, involves the victim in the sentencing process, and promotes a sharing of responsibility with the community.' Like community conferences, circle sentencing is not appropri- ate for all offenders. So far, this program has been used mainly with First Nations people whose culture follows a less adver- * School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University. 1 See CURT GRIFFITHS & SIMON VERDUN-JONES, CANADIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (2nd ed. 1994). 605

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