Centre for Justice and Reconciliation
Throughout the world, offenders are subjected to inefficient and overburdened justice systems and victims receive little help recovering from the trauma of crime.
These problems confront all nations and economies. The United States, for example, imprisons the highest percentage of its citizens in the world. This has produced serious prison crowding and violence. Often the result is that rehabilitation and other programming lose funding and space within the prisons to operate.
In developing nations, countrywide problems of poverty and disease are intensified in prisons. Defendants may spend years there waiting for trial because of overburdened and corrupt law enforcement and courts. Little is done to prepare prisoners for life after release.
Crime victims continue to be the afterthought of justice systems. They are not provided what they need to find relief and a measure of healing.
PFI confronts these issues around the world. PFI's Centre for Justice and Reconciliation (CJR) serves as a resource to its national affiliates by locating information, collaborating on projects, developing programmes, and building communication channels among them.
It also works to influence the "justice climate" around the world so societies become more restorative in their criminal justice policies. This requires taking the harm done to victims -- and their resulting needs -- more seriously. It also encourages offender responsibility to make amends.
The following pages will help you learn more about the problems and PFI's resources and programmes to address them.
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