About
the Book:
Restorative justice can offer the Catholic Church a vital framework
for reorganizing the way it deals with cases of misconduct
and conflicts. This book examines the risks and benefits of
introducing restorative-driven changes in the system that the
Catholic Church uses in handling its cases of misconduct. The
changes covered in the book include:
• Using an independent commission to conduct an
investigation and to conduct a disciplinary hearing in cases
of misconduct;
• Creating a charter for victim rights and conducting impact
assessment to offer the primary and secondary victims the
opportunity to be heard before a final decision is made in a
disciplinary hearing;
• Using an issue-driven process, instead of a law-driven
process, when making a decision in a disciplinary
hearing;
• Using a victim-offender mediation and other forms of
personal encounter in cases of misconduct where there is
a primary victim, especially in cases of sexual abuse;
• Using alternatives to dismissal and suspension and offering
second chances in some categories of misconduct.
The material in the book is drawn from the focus group discussions
that the author has over the years conducted with the
clerics, the religious and lay people in Southern Africa. The
book therefore seeks to capture end-user perspectives on the
risks and benefits of adopting restorative justice reforms in the
Catholic Church.
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