International Conference on Restorative Justice in Halifax

Experts from around the world are meeting in Halifax on June 15-17 to talk about an approach to justice that gives people a real opportunity to put right what they have done wrong.

Halifax will play host to the 14th World Conference of the International Institute for Restorative Practices. Restorative justice allows people affected by a crime to take an active role in the justice process and encourages offenders to take responsibility for their actions.

The success of Nova Scotia's restorative justice program will be one of the featured topics at the conference.

"I am very proud of the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice program, it's one of the best programs in the world with an enviable 90 per cent success rate," said Ross Landry, Minister of Justice. "With this program, we are making a difference, not only in the lives of young offenders, but also in the lives of victims, their families and all of our communities."

The conference, titled Institutionalizing Restorative Practices: Building Alliances Among Practitioners, Policy-makers and Scholars, is being offered in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Community University Research Alliance (NSRJ-CURA), of which the Department of Justice is a partner.

Restorative practices apply the collaborative aspects of restorative justice beyond the justice system. The conference agenda will include panels, discussion groups, and films about restorative practices in education, social welfare and work settings.

"Government is doing things differently, we're building relationships, which is the foundation of restorative approaches," said Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse. "This conference gives us the opportunity to learn from one another; to continue to build on the successes we've already achieved. It's an opportunity for us to educate ourselves, and each other, about the value restorative approaches can bring to Nova Scotia."

Attendees include teachers, school administrators, social workers, probation officers, police, social service providers, community volunteers, counsellors and others with an interest in this area. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more from educators, social welfare and criminal justice professionals, and scholars who will share their experiences with restorative practices.

"This is an exciting and important opportunity to showcase our world-leading restorative justice program and to share with the delegates the various projects that are applying a restorative approach beyond youth criminal justice to adults and in education and community services," said Jennifer Llewellyn, director of NSRJ-CURA. "That the conference has attracted more than 500 delegates from more than 11 countries is a sign of the important leadership Nova Scotia has offered in restorative justice nationally and internationally."

For more information about the conference, including sessions and speakers, visit www.iirp.org/ns11/ . For more information on Nova Scotia's Restorative Justice Program, visit www.gov.ns.ca/just/rj/program.asp .