Can you help me understand this Psychology question?
Hi as previously done this is a lead post that has to be 500 words and a response post to another student that is 300 words. The first part has to have references the second will just be a reply to another student. I provide two books as reference and you add a third source that is academic edu or sites that are trusted. I will provide three other students examples of lead posts for you to get and idea and answer to just one of those students in a 300 word response. AGAIN 500 word lead post and 300 word response to another students lead post. so make it separately Choose the topic for the lead post do it something about community college. I will provide you with two books and choose a third source that matches your topic.
Lead post [10 points]:
The concept of restorative justice has become very popular in the U.S throughout the past 30 years. Research one example of restorative justice (where harms are being addressed in a restorative way) nationally or internationally. You can choose an example that interests you and is most based on your current or desired profession. Examples include programs, initiatives, and case studies in community colleges/universities/k-12 schools/criminal justice/veterans affairs/community organizations/religious practices/others. Do NOT use examples we touch on in class but DO draw on the restorative justice principles and processes we focus on in Month 3 of class. Explain your restorative justice process in detail- what do they do? Who is involved? What resources are needed? Where does it take place? What is the main purpose of this restorative example/practice/program? Do you believe it is effective? Why or why not? (min. 500 words)
Response Post [5 points]:
In approximately 300 words respond to another person in your group about their restorative example. Do you agree or disagree with their analysis of the examples effectiveness? How does this example connect with yours? Does their explanation or choice of program impact the way you look at restorative justice?
Example 1
While reading through our textbooks and pondering ideas of restorative justice and peacemaking I had been listening to songs from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Firesaga (a Netflix original movie about the European phenomenon Eurovision) and inspiration struck. Eurovision itself was a model of restorative justice.
Eurovision Song Contest was created by Marcel Bezencon from the European Broadcasting Union (Eurovision Song Contest, 2020) in 1956 as an attempt to bring all of Europe together into one community following the traumas experienced in WWII (Beauchamp (Links to an external site.),2016). Every year for over 74 years around 41 countries send representatives to sing one original song via live broadcast. Voting is done by a panel of judges from each country, as well as votes from people in each country, determining the winner. When Eurovision started there were just seven countries involved in the contest (Eurovision Song Contest, 2020).
41 countries is a lot to name but the Big 5 countries that contribute the most to funding the event are the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. The Big 5 and 36 other countries join together for friendly competition and to exhibit national pride. This model has been so successful at peacekeeping and peacebuilding that they have even started a ‘Junior Eurovision’ (Eurovision Song Contest, 2020).
When it comes to resources to put on one of the most-watched non-profit events in the world, with over 200 million viewers tuning in (Beauchamp (Links to an external site.), 2016), this is not the cheapest restorative justice event. Although when is restorative justice the cheapest route? In 2019 the event was reported to cost upward of 28.5 million euros (Klein, 2018). To host a multinational multicultural world event you have to have your marketing and production teams, costume designers, set designers, contestants, etc. The contest is financed by a variety of contributions. First, there are the participant fees, which are different for each country on a sliding scale. There is the contribution of the hosting country, which generally will carry the weight of the financial burden, but depending on resources. There is also a contribution of the host broadcaster and commercial revenue from sponsorship, ticket sales, promotional items, and merchandise (Eurovision Song Contest, 2020).
The Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the country of the previous winner of the competition the year prior. There was a comment in Netflix’s movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga about the financial burden the winning country would take on the following year. In the movie we see Iceland’s song council meet with a member of their government. The government official’s main concern being that if they sent someone good they might win and bankrupt Iceland.
The main purpose of this event was to begin to heal the trauma of WWII across Europe. To bring people together in an experience they could share as one community. Countries cannot vote for themselves and therefore create goodwill and comradery when they vote for other nations in the competition. To heal trauma there needs to be a decent conflict resolution of affirmation, communication, cooperation, and problem-solving (Liebmann, 2007). Seeing all of these values in the song contest it is no surprise that it has been so successful at creating better, healthier, more productive relationships across Europe.
The success of the Eurovision Song Contest lies in its expansion of participants and acceptance of each other, dominant and alternative discourses. The song contest is a place where LGBTQ visibility not only makes an appearance but thrives. The contest makes “the other” more understood, and bridges the gap between different cultures. Understanding leads to better international relations, cooperation, and collaboration. The contest now even includes Australia, expanding outside of the original target of Europe. The event in recent years has even been broadcast in the United States, becoming wildly popular post-release of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.
With movie hits as viral as Ja Ja Ding Dong, and Husavik, and songs from the actual competition such as Rise Like a Phoenix (Conchita Wurst) and Waterloo (ABBA), it’s not surprising how pervasive it is to every culture it touches. Seeking to heal trauma via vehicles echoing the very pillars of restorative justice: facilitating rehabilitation and reintegration into larger communities, taking care of both the victim and offenders’ needs for healing, building trust and value in the community (Braithwaite, 2002), etc.
Due to multinational capitalist entanglement or not (Braithwaite, 2002), Europe has moved from wars and violence to a place of music and creativity. From punitive practices to a more restorative focus on the needs and healing of the larger community.
I believe the Eurovision Song Contest has been an effective form of restorative justice. Countries seem to have created better communities across Europe post WWII. This contest brings countries from all over Europe, and now the world, together once a year to celebrate each other and I think that is a beautiful way to build understanding.
References
Beauchamp, Z. (2016). The Eurovision Song Contest, explained. Vox. https://www.vox.com/2016/5/14/11667716/eurovision-song-contest-2016-logo-timberlake (Links to an external site.)
Braithwaite, J. (2002). Restorative Justice and Responsive Regulation. New York: Oxford University Press.
Eurovision Song Contest (2020). 41 countries will ‘Open Up’ at Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam. Eurovision Song Contest Rotterdam 2021. https://eurovision.tv/story/41-countries-eurovision-2020-rotterdam (Links to an external site.)
Klien, S. (2018, November 27). Total budget for Eurovision 2019: £28.5 million – Isralei broadcaster takes loan from government. Eurovisionworld.com. https://eurovisionworld.com/esc/israeli-broadcaster-will-take-a-loan-to-fund-eurovision-2019 (Links to an external site.)
Liebmann, M. (2007). Restorative Justice: How it Works. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Example 2
When pressure from the state to decrease the number of suspensions melds with the fact that students of color are disproportionately suspended and expelled, there has to be a fundamental change in how schools are treating students and doling out punishments. In my current school district, restorative practices have been implemented, but they have not always been positively received or fully integrated. My chief focus when it comes to Restorative Justice is on its use within our schools and school systems. I work in a public-school system where we are implementing Restorative Justice, but it seems that it is being met with much resistance and is not as successful as it could be. When I found information on the success of the Oakland Unified School District, and in particular Fremont High School, I thought maybe I would find some of the answers I have been looking for. There are many aspects of their Restorative Justice practices that I really like and will try to implement more of at our school. What I would like more information on, though, is the process by which this new system was implemented at their school and the amount of time it took to do so effectively.
In 2016-2017 Oakland’s Freemont High School had more suspensions than any school in the Oakland Unified School District (Washburn & Willis, 2018). They set out to improve their school climate and their suspension rates, looking to Restorative Justice to help. Freemont High has on their staff a restorative justice facilitator and three case managers whose job it is to stop conflicts before they end up as office referrals. According to Washburn and Willis (2018), this system, part of a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), is broken into three levels. In MTSS, Tier 1 is services that all students should have access to. At Freemont, this is done in most classes in the form of Community Building Circles. In general, these circles build a closer community because the people involved build a sense of connection, practice speaking and listening, and 100 percent of the community feels like they are part of something bigger. Tier 2 usually serves about 15 percent of a school’s population. At Freemont, Tier 2 supports consist of mediation circles and conflict circles, much like the various ones we have read about in Lieberman’s book, Restorative Justice: How it Works (2007) where the people who are directly involved in an incident come together to participate. Here, everyone’s voice has a chance to be heard, and plans to right the wrongs are made. Usually not more than 3-5 percent of a school’s population requires the extensive interventions of Tier 3. At Freemont, Tier 3 circles are a more formalized “welcome back” and reentry process for the student who has been removed but is now returning to a former classroom. This usually takes place with those parties who were directly involved in the incident. Here the offender takes responsibility for their action and expresses interest in healing the harm that they have caused. This reintegration process is a key component for a smooth transition.
I believe that Restorative Justice is more effective in changing behavior than the traditionally punitive corrections of the past. Within these tiers, relationships are being built, the lived experiences of students are being taken into consideration, and behaviors are being addressed without resorting to suspensions and expulsions. There are still some downfalls for many schools and many districts. To implement this process and to do it well, significant funds need to be allocated. Many teachers and administrators fear that restorative practices remove punishment all together and create a more reckless environment. Last but not least, as was pointed out in many of the scenarios in Restorative Justice: How it Works (2007), these structures take time to implement fully and people want a quick fix and do not want to put in the time, energy and money needed.
References
Liebmann, M. (2007). Restorative Justice: How it Works. London and Philadelphia: Jessica
Kingsley Publishers.
Washburn, D., & Willis, D. J. (2018, May 13). The Rise of Restorative Justice in California
Schools Brings Promise, Controversy. Edsource. https://edsource.org/2018/the-rise-of- (Links to an external site.)
