Rethinking the Impact of Traditional Justice: Natalie DeFreitas at TEDxVancouver

Natalie believes there is a better way to "do" justice. At the age of 18, she volunteered with a literacy organization in Canadian federal prisons, and quickly became convinced of the merits of an emerging trend toward restorative justice practices. Today, she is a consultant and psychological counsellor who works closely with incarcerated populations, schools, governments, non-profit organizations and communities to take a stand against the greatest influencers on crime: poverty, racism, illiteracy, inadequate mental health and social services and lack of community collaboration. Natalie encourages others to think dynamically about social accountability and believes justice is more than an institutionalized response, it is something we build collaboratively.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@kerithpaterson1668]

Last week I came upon the movie, The Dhamma Brothers, and the power of Vipassana Buddist Meditation in an Alabama prison... today, restorative justice. I am touched by both in regard to faith in humanity. Thank you.

[@michaelagillard573]

We just watched this in my criminology tutorial after our lecture on restorative justice, over here in South Australia. We were all so entranced! Honestly, no one spoke a word for about a minute after it ended. It's definitely clear that restorative justice is the way of the future in terms of dealing with offenders, especially first time and youth offenders. Also, as a psychology student, it's awesome seeing a counsellor getting involved in this work and definitely makes me want to move into it! Thanks for your work, Natalie! Really inspiring stuff!

[@sciampaglia]

Good job Nathalie! Thank you for sharing your story, keep spreading the word... I especially connected with "People are worth more than their darkest moment". So true.

[@ZakeryKates]

My brother was arrested when he was 13.... When he was released at 17 years old he had a new identity... his new identity became "criminal". Needless to say, he was incarcerated again just a couple of years later. He was released and, again, within a few years he returned to prison. Now he's serving a 15 year sentence. I wonder how different his life would've been if he had entered into a restorative justice plan at the age of 13.

[@Suburbanswing]

treat an inmate like an inmate, he will continue to act like one. Treat an inmate like a human being that has hope and possibilities, he has a chance to change. Listen, be open, be direct, and care, and the correctional world will produce dramatic change!

[@Wesker10000]

Or we could just execute the inmate if they are a murderer and they wont' kill again.

[@QBert904]

Hogwire not every inmate is a killer.

[@Wesker10000]

@@QBert904 So? Treat drug addicts with help/therapy. But kill the killers.

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thank you so much Bryan! Really appreciate the feedback and support :)

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thank you Richard! My goal was to leave others with a sparked curiosity in alternatives to traditional justice. I'm so glad it resonated with you.

[@searaph]

Very well said, it was a process similar to this one that helped my sister turn away from a life of drugs and finish a high school education It also sounds very similar to the hygienic model being adopted by the physical activities fields; get people moving and being active to prevent, say, heart conditions instead of only treating a heart condition. The cost of this is also significantly smaller than the traditional approach as well. It should work well for both fields mentally and physically

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thanks so much Brian! Hope you're well!!

[@teteprado]

great to see a tedtalk on restorative justice! it is not something a lot of people know about and the ones that do don't really see it as being a possibility. It is clear that our justice system needs a change, unfortunately I feel like the privatization of prisons keep it from changing..

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thanks so much!!! You're so much a part of the birthplace of my passion for RJ- really appreciate your support xoxo

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thanks for your feedback Allie- I agree- a friend of mine referred to this as being the "naturopathy of justice"- treating the causes, not the symptoms. I think this is applicable in so many different fields. I'm really happy to hear that your sister found success as well and thank you for sharing your words with me :)

[@TheKlefeaver]

Incredibly well spoken and implores change for the way justice is currently being done in Canada. Thank you Natalie !!!

[@richardnewman3663]

So well spoken, it gave me a whole new outlook, thanks Natalie.

[@jaemsardine]

Amazing video! Very moving.

[@nataliearchibald2051]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your words. I'm so happy you connected with my message and very grateful it inspired you.

[@durantjeffrey]

I was first drawn to your spearhead by your beauty, however you are much more wise than beautiful. I was brought to tears when I felt your compassion towards out fellow human beings. I'm currently working on research that will positively help us as a human race rethink the way we look and treat one another. May the sun continue to shine on your face:)

[@deshvibhuti]

One of the best Ted talks I have watched in the last few days.

[@mphothemediator]

thanks for the talk,i really like restorative justice...

[@barrygregory2644]

Thank this was well presented with good supporting evidence thank u

[@haleycpoke]

This women is well spoken, this video made me change my point of view.

[@durantjeffrey]

You have my vote!

[@nataliearchibald2051]

very kind words, thank you so much for your support. All the best in your research :)

[@tammilampkin6300]

I agree and support

[@_Wolf_Shadow]

We have the same problem in the US. People think that passing new laws will curb crime, but they don't understand that you must attack the source of crime. Poor and lack of proper education, significant disparity of wealth, government handouts via welfare instead of encouraging people to make something of themselves. What do lawmakers do? Make new laws that criminalize damn near everyone, then turn around and release violent and "non-violent" criminals early without rehab or proper screening.

[@bryannelson5631]

Well done and Good luck!

[@nancy80228]

Kingston? You must be a Queen's alumni. Proud to be a Gael!

[@fredneedle123]

WPaule. I followed your link to Amazon and found this: misunderstanding restorative justice By Stever on March 18, 2012 Format: Paperback Acorn has misunderstood the core principles of restorative justice, and that to an unbelievable extent that it makes readers (that is familiar with the idea of restorative justice) feel that she wrote these misinterpretations on purpose; so as to make readers believe that restorative justice is a "happy fantasy" unworthy of paying attention to. The aim of restorative justice is not to rebuild relationships between victims and offenders but to restore the harm done to the victims and other stakeholders, and thus "right relationships" are not necessarily aimed, need not say forced. And thus "universal love" for their enemies is not required in restorative processes; restorative meetings/confereces are more about "deliberative accountability" as Declan Roche has pointed out. And so it can well be said that the whole point of Acorn's argument is based on false assumption.

[@WPaule]

See my response above, also if you are interested in a honest discussion of the issues see: www.amazon.com/Life-The-Bottom-Theodore-Dalrymple-ebook/dp/B0047Y0FN2

[@WPaule]

Anyone considering this should read Annalise Acorn's "Compulsory Compassion: A Critique of Restorative Justice" Sadly the anecdotal examples Natalie cites beg the questions involved, and her use of statistics is terribly flawed.

[@fredneedle123]

There are always two sides to every idea and if you are looking for perfection then you are going to be disappointed. She never said it was the perfect solution just a better one than the present norm. If 70% of people re-offend with one year then 30 % don't but is that good enough and is it cost effective? If you dislike the proposed alternative then what do you suggest? More of the same? Well we know that doesn't work.

[@WPaule]

fredneedle123 Your comment about "looking for perfection" demonstrates how facile your approach is. To dismiss my objection this way is truly intellectually dishonest. There are indeed two sides, if not more, and when you have demonstrated that you have actually read, and hopefully understood the issues you might be able to respond with more than just platitudes. I have suggested an alternative (the book, because it deals with the issues more fully), which you have not had the intellectual integrity to read, before you dismiss it. The issues are bigger and far more complex than can be adequately dealt with in a forum like this. Also, Treating people on the naive caracature of who they really are, will not do them any service. Doing justice is hard work. I have done it for decades, and dealt with thousands of inmates. Simplistic approaches like this have harmed the offenders, and revictimized the victims.

[@fredneedle123]

I truly wasn't trying to dismiss your objections. I merely pointing out that for every supporter there will be a detractor especially for complex issues such as justice and ethics. A publication supporting one side or the other means little. As for simplistic approaches, I'm not sure any single video presentation would be in depth enough to satisfy all aspects of this topic.

[@WPaule]

fredneedle123 "means little" "wasn't trying to dismiss your objections" Your response it truly incoherent. To dismiss as "meaning little" something you have obviously haven't read and seem to be giving yourself permission not to read simply demonstrates how uninformed your position is. www.amazon.com/Compulsory-Compassion-Critique-Restorative-Justice/dp/0774809434

[@fredneedle123]

That's fine if that's how you feel. You can't force me into reading your recommended book and you can't force someone to agree with you no matter how much you try to insult them. All I'm saying is we can all provide data to support our own point of view.

[@fredneedle123]

Blimey, there's none so blind as those that will not see. Surely we all know this already don't we? We don't need telling that the starving will steal food in order to survive and don't care about the consequences especially in a society that they feel no part of and therefore no responsibility for. In a community that you feel will let your perish what do you think you might do in order to survive? Almost anything perhaps?

[@nationalsocialist6590]

Traditional justice > Cosmic justice.

[@lionel21000]

Restorative justice is nothing new. The problem is that judges are using this on repeated offenders.

[@BlackRose2354]

this made me think critically about my own interpretation of justice, as someone who wants to be a lawyer, has a strong opinion about justice, and has had someone else commit a crime against me. i understand the statistics and i agree with certain horrible acts that could be socially treated in a more effective way than from this harsh punishment method. i understand that certain criminals can be put back into the world and go through a process of revival and redemption. i understand it from a thief, from a drug dealer, and so forth. but i believe, still, that there are some cases so either unforgivable or evil that incarceration and detainment, and even execution, are needed. a serial killer cannot be treated psychologically. there is something wrong with them and they deserve to be executed. someone who has killed repeatedly or a druglord high on the drug food chain cannot really be socially treated. these people are beyond help and their thought pattern is unreasonable. rapists, molesters, child molesters, child rapists, and certain sexual offenders cannot be reasoned with. there is something wrong with them mentally and personally i feel rapists and child molesters/rapists deserve to be executed. in that sense, i could see social programs as a way to significantly drop crime rates and produce a better community and society, but it shouldn't be a replacement to incarceration. some people really should be locked up for good. some people, no matter how many kumbaya circles they sit in or how many hands reach out for them, CANNOT be reasoned with. justice is about rewards and punishments, but it doesn't have to uncaring or unhelpful. you can still perpetuate the punishment method while systematically reducing crime with a helpful hand. if the government invested more into social programs instead of building bigger prisons, it would be an amazing thing for society, but that doesn't mean the punishment method is always wrong or that social programs or treatment centers should replace prisons or executions.

[@fredneedle123]

I agree with you to a certain extent. I believe that even child molesters and rapists can, in some cases, be rehabilitated. If someone is psychopathic then that's a different situation. I don't think psychopaths deserve death as they didn't choose to be this way and cannot be held accountable in the usual sense of the word. They definitely should be locked away to protect the public and looked after for the rest of their natural life in the same way that I'd hope anyone with mental disorders would be.

[@fredneedle123]

Our job should be to help the victim realize that they are not to blame and help them to repair their lives. I don't see how treating the perpetrator with the same emotional detachment is going to help the victim. Maybe this will only add the guilt the victim feels. I appreciate that this is your heart felt emotional response and I hope you don't think that I'm trying to protect any wrong doing? I merely trying to think what might be a more optimal solution for all involved as I feel that killing people who do wrong helps no one. It doesn't help the victim or at least I don't believe it does it merely satisfies our desire for revenge but in the long term, does this help anyone heal? That's what I think I might feel if I had been the victim and I really was trying to put myself in the victims shoes.

[@BlackRose2354]

I agree with your first sentence. But treating the perpetrator like that will prevent for him/her to do it again. Understand that criminals, especially those with the "mental disorder" that they have that restricts them to not be able to empathize with their victims, won't just say sorry and never do it again. Child molesters, murderers, child rapists... they all would do their crime again. This "rehabilitation" and "mental asylum" nonsense gives these criminals the excuse to get away with their crimes. Even if they would never do their crimes again, this is a matter of justice that they escaped. The whole point of justice are two things: (1) keep order and manage a government, (2) distribute punishments, rewards, and compensation for actions. Killing people who do wrong things helps everyone. I'm not advocating for criminals who have just done something minor to be killed. I consider child rape and child molestation to be at the same level as a 1st degree murder. Why? think about the impact to the victim and also think about how much evil it takes for a human being to do such a thing. Killing them, the guilty, is beneficial because it perpetuates the legal definition of justice and does not let criminals get away with their crimes, and also because it prevents both them and other similar criminals from committing said crime. It's not a matter of "killing them won't take away what happened". And it's not even about revenge, although it is to some degree (and really what's wrong with revenge as long as it doesn't hurt those that are innocent or takes over your life). You have to understand the power struggle of such a crime and how that impacts the view of the victim. Imagine, when you were too impressionable and ignorant and simply too gullible to understand what wwas going on. This evil son of a bitch comes along and decides, because you are weak and because if you speak out you are discarded and the legal system would disregard you, to molest you. They are doing it because they have the power to. This isn't only about sex. Abusers abuse because it gives them power. Somebody took advantage of you and made you feel as if you were less. Now let's imagine you were a child and they VIOLENTLY raped you. That means they might have ruined your chances to bear children, they might have caused complications that could lead to diseases and hardship. They took, not only your innocence and your happiness and your self worth, but any chance at living a normal and happy life. Then imagine that the person gets away with it. There is no, or even minimal, jail time and then they get set free because they feel "sorry" and they are victims of their own "mental disorder". How the fuck is that fair? And let's say that even the rapist gets jail time for many years (never life long). You have to live with knowing that they will get out, and that they are living in a jail cell laughing about what happened to you, what they did to you. They are getting three meals a day, a roof over their heads, and they will still get out free. You, you're stuck with what they left you. How the fuck is that fair? Who the fuck can you turn to if you can't even expect the justice system to do it's god damn job? you can't just sit there and say, "well i'll be happy and that will be my best revenge" because that just lets them get away with it. and letting them get away with it inspires other rapists and molesters to act on their "mental disorder". it perpetuates rape culture, and even worse: child rape. The only course of action to take is to punish those that deserve to be punished and to uphold the justice system the RIGHT way.

[@secondwind1203]

+BlackRose2354 What about the pedophiles in our government connected to pedophilia and in the entertainment industry both of which we patronize yet we brush the harm under the rug. Should our officials be put to death....should those in Hollywood who bait young entertainers be put to death. So you really mean to say that if you dont have money to cover legal fees, grease palms and have some kind of stature your henious crime = death however if you are lucky enough to have money to grease palms, pay lawyers and stature we as a society are willing to overlook, underlook, sweep under, paint over, blot out or simply ignore the henious crimes committed right smack in our face. Every person is worth Restoring no matter how ugly a picture/person looks we dont know THEIR story. Empathy is key to Restoring people: individuals, families, communities and nations. The question is who really wants to do that, who want to really see resolution in the crime rates?

[@reforest4fertility]

Awe come on, this Restoring of Justice won't feed prison industrial complex growth .... or then too, by direct extension, growth of the military big agri pharma petroleum industrial complex. Damn tough to argue either way, eh ... without context that comes from truth for reconciliation.

[@jcbguy4099]

kinder garden stuff