Discipline in schools not what it used to be - ABC Local

That's why more principals and teachers are steering their schools towards what is known as 'restorative justice' -a process whereby offenders are compelled to take responsibility for their actions and the effects of these actions.

Restorative practices expert Margaret Thorsborne, speaking in Toowoomba next week on restorative practices in the junior college, says restorative justice is all about the needs of the victims and the offenders instead of simply ensuring that the punishment fits the crime.

"Instead of just relying on that we say 'well, we've got the walking wounded here, what are we going to do to help them heal'," she says.

Ideally the process would involve the victim, the offender and their families together along with the school staff who dealt with the issue, facilitated by a trained mediator.

The offender would explain themselves while the victim would be given a chance to talk about how the incident has impacted on them.

"For example for a victim of bullying, how has it changed the way they feel about coming to school? - It's really about trying to build empathy," she says.

"There's been plenty of research done about how you increase a sense of safety at school, and one of the things that doesn't work is increasing levels of punishment."

Mrs Thorsborne says the parents play a vital role in the restorative justice process because often children have no idea of the impact their actions have on their own parents.

And for those who may think that the restorative justice process sounds like it offers the offender an easy ride to redemption, Mrs Thorsborne believes this process is often one of the

hardest things they will ever have to do.

"They would rather walk on hot coals than to have to sit through another process like this. So the reduction in reoffending is quite enormous. It's the process itself that's the punishment."