On Saturday the 20th August, the Edmund Rice Justice Trust hosted its first Ethical Encounter event in Christchurch. The topic of the breakfast was on Restorative Justice. We had the ERJ Trusts key restorative justice facilitator, Jackie Katounas, speak to the group about her story and her experiences of working in the restorative justice field. Jackie shared a number of shocking, yet empowering stories that really highlighted the importance of her work. Jackie also emphasized the need for restorative justice at a post-sentence level when both the victims and offenders are ready, and genuine.
The group then had the opportunity to ask Jackie questions which sparked a number of insightful discussions. The invited guests came from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. It was a small group, but the intimate size lead to the sharing of personal and moving stories.
