A first

This week I conducted my first intake session by myself. It was definitely nerve-racking at the onset, but I think in the end it went off without any hitch. Previously, I had most often sat with Tim, and sometimes Cara, during the intake and gotten valuable insight into how to conduct a good intake. A good intake process informs both the juvenile, and their parents/guardians on how the RPC process works, and its structure: from the moment of setting up an intake appointment to submitting a referral to the Department of Youth Services (DYS) to expunge the record of the incident, given that the juvenile successfully completed all tasks and sanctions given to them. A good intake process not only provides a clarification of how to go on expunging the records (being part of quite a few intake it does feel like a lot of participants going through this process, do this so that there is a chance of the "crimes" not being part of the permanent history of the kids, which is a good thing, but it definitely is not an integral part of the restorative justice paradigm. Given that a low income, socially marginalized kid might have their future in jeopardy just because of one stupid decision made early on in their life is something that should not be take lightly, and my criticism early on was that this process is being utilized, by those who are eligible, as away just to get out of trouble; however, after being part of this process I would not consider that a bad thing at all. Being able to get their records expunged is definitely a major incentive in participation, but there is as much an opportunity to learn and grow once agreeing to be part of it), but it also sets a good precedence to help the juveniles start reflecting upon their 'mistake', and also gives a chance for honest conversation between the parents and the children. During some of the past intakes I have witnessed, I have seen the process being useful in creating a space for the kids to talk about the problems and issues they are facing, which might have been unbeknownst to their parents. Also, the process definitely helps the juveniles see the bigger picture of who was affected by their actions; "the ripple effect" of their actions is explained, which provides them a chance to introspect and even come up with their own suggestions as to how they could right the wrong they committed. It will be more clearer in the next blog, when I go a bit deep in the theory behind Restorative Justice.


One of the major cultural difference, between US and Nepal, that became apparent to me after interacting with so many kids under 18 was the amount of respect provided to them, where they are held accountable for their actions and at the same time are given a chance to make mistakes and learn for themselves. My personal experience on how teenagers are treated back home is completely different; there is a distinct lack of respect compounded with constant scrutiny and lack of freewill not only in a family setting, but in a larger societal context as well. For e.g. there was an incident where police personnel were rounding up teenagers (mostly men) who had long hair or piercings, citing it as a way of "discouraging potential troublemakers"; there is that instant branding, and assumption that is being made, and on the other hand in terms of RJ, it is going beyond labels and giving everybody another chance to not only prove their actions, and past mistakes wrong, but also providing an avenue to accomplish that and providing support throughout the process.