Vermont Bar Journal, Vol. 40, No. 2 Summer 2014, Vol. 40, No. 2 | Page 16

by Jan Peter Dembinski, Esq. • Guest Editor Special Issue: Restorative Justice in Vermont Overview It is with a bit of disbelief that I find myself sitting down as “guest editor” to write this introduction to this special “restorative justice” edition of the Vermont Bar Journal. In many ways, it is the proverbial dream come true. Through a stint with Herb Ogden in Rutland as an associate attorney (1999-2003) and then during a lean solo practice in Woodstock (2003-2010), the one constant in my legal career has been my legal education of inmates for the Vermont Department of Corrections. But having been introduced to the philosophy and practices of restorative justice in 2003, my awareness of the overwhelming legal and civil hurdles my students face in attempting to make something positive of their lives (which they all want to do; otherwise, they wouldn’t voluntarily attend my classes) has made me keenly aware of the enormous need for justice reform today 16 and has convinced me that restorative justice is the means to achieve that reform. I put forth the basics of that argument in last winter’s edition of the Journal with my article, “Restorative Justice—Time to Take It Seriously?” But as the least of all attorneys in Vermont, I wondered if the article would have any impact on any judge, prosecutor, or defense attorney—or, actually, even be read by any of them. To this day, I’m still not sure if any attorney or judge actively involved in the criminal justice system has read the article, other than the two or three I’ve shown it to. But, of course, the Journal’s intrepid editor, Kevin Ryan, read it, and in conspiracy with Professor Gale Burford somehow decided I would be the appropriate choice as guest editor of this special edition to coincide with the international conference on restorative justice Professor Burford is THE VERMONT BAR JOURNAL • SUMMER 2014 hosting at UVM this summer from July 15 through July 18. Fortunately, given the efforts of the talented writers featured in this edition, I have to say I think their trust has been rewarded. One of the foremost restorative justice scholars in the world, John Braithwaite has contributed “Evidence for Restorative Justice,” an article that I know will be keenly appreciated and keenly heeded by scores of international restorative justice advocates and critics. What I find so exciting about this article is how Braithwaite directly faces and responds to critics of restorative justice and the studies they rely on, as well as how he draws substantial and profound conclusions that provide a firm foundation for broad-reaching and (if I may be so bold) magnificent justice reform. For example: “I am prepared to interpret nonquantitative date … as providing strong qualitative evidence that restorative justice can reduce serious violence with high costeffectiveness in the most difficult of conditions.” Also, “Because of that quality [of how restorative justice practices help teach democratic citizenship], the evidence suggests that restorative justice helps victims of crime more powerfully than it helps offenders.” And there \