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This page is archived material and is no longer updated. It may contain outdated information and broken links. The material
presented on these pages is the product of five regional symposia held on restorative justice between June 1997 and January
by Mark S. Umbreit, Ph.D., and Mark Carey, Deschutes County Community Corrections
Moving a corrections system to embrace a new paradigm of justice is no easy task. It requires creative leadership and vision.
It also requires a highly disciplined, long-term commitment to implementing a new approach through a collaborative process
involving all staff members. This article reports on the journey toward restorative justice through systemic change in the
Dakota County Community Corrections Department in Minnesota.
Correctional systems are offender-driven, with little attention given to the needs facing individual victims or the victimized
community. Even in those jurisdictions attempting to respond more effectively to victim needs, the emphasis tends to be upon
the importance of offenders paying restitution to victims, often in the context of restitution payment being therapeutic for
the offender. Rarely are victims given the opportunity to play a more active role in the justice process (Marshall & Merry;
1990; Umbreit, 1994b, 1991; Wright, 1991; Zehr, 1990).
The criminal justice system is focused upon the state as the victim, with the actual individual victim being placed in a very
passive role and having little input. In the criminal justice system, adversarial relationships and processes are normative,
as is the imposition of severe punishment in order to deter or prevent future crime. The fact that criminal behavior represents
interpersonal conflict is ignored. The manner in which the criminal justice system frequently deals with victims and offenders
often heightens the conflict.
There is an increasing national interest, however, in embracing the principles of a different paradigm of justice. "Restorative
justice" (Bazemore, 1994; Umbreit, 1994a; Zehr, 1990) views crime as a violation of one person by another, rather than as
a violation against the state. Dialogue and negotiation are typical, with a focus upon problem-solving for the future rather
than establishing blame for past behavior.
Severely punishing offenders is less important than providing opportunities to empower victims in their search for closure
through gaining a better understanding of what happened and being able to move on with their lives, to impress upon offenders
the real human impact of their behavior, and to promote restitution to victims (Umbreit, 1994a). Zehr (1990) notes that instead
of ignoring victims and placing both victims and offenders in passive roles, restorative justice principles place both the
victim and the offender in active and interpersonal problem-solving roles.
These principles of restorative justice are now being seen in a growing number of communities throughout North America and
Europe. In the past, advocates of restorative justice tended to focus on specific program initiatives in local communities.
Today, restorative justice is more frequently being advocated in the context of broad systemic change in entire correctional
systems. The Balanced and Restorative Justice (BARJ) project, supported by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice, is the clearest example of such system change advocacy. The BARJ project is
working intensively with five juvenile corrections systems in various parts of the country in an effort to initiate fundamental
change in the manner in which those justice systems operate.
Restorative justice has tapped into a stream of energy and excitement within corrections departments nationwide. For many,
this energy has remained inert for years under the pressures of changing public expectations, legislative mandates, public
safety demands, and escalating probation caseloads. Probation departments are re-discovering the personal and professional
motivations for their staffs entering the corrections field. Typically, those motivations are to promote offender change,
to assist crime victims toward wholeness, and to make individual communities safer. For too long, the emphasis has been on
surveillance and monitoring instead of those tenets brought forth by restorative justice principles such as competency development
within the offender, victim participation and services, offender accountability, and community involvement and responsibility.
Discovering this energy is a promising beginning for productive changes in corrections, but it is not enough. Planning for
system changes in a bureaucratic organization is not easy even in the most fertile environments. Multiple barriers exist,
ranging from workload to politics.
Dakota County is part of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area, located just south of Minneapolis. With a population
of 310,000, it is one of the fastest growing counties in the state. The Dakota County Community Corrections Department was
selected as one of five jurisdictions nationwide to receive technical assistance through the BARJ project. Consultation services
and training were provided for the purpose of helping the department learn about and adopt policies and programs consistent
with restorative justice principles.
Dakota County is now one year into its planning process and is about to implement a number of practical restorative justice
recommendations. The purpose of this article is to illustrate some of the planning activities needed to prepare the department
for fundamental changes in the approach to and delivery of restorative services. That is not to suggest that there is only
one way. Each agency has different resources, assets, deficits, priorities, motivations, and system environments that require
varying approaches to planning changes. The authors hope this article will help flesh out some of the issues that agencies
should think through and the activities they should undertake in a restorative justice planning process.
Perhaps the biggest mistake many organizations make when attempting to adopt restorative justice principles is miscalculating
what a restorative justice agency is. Too often, restorative justice is viewed as a program, such as victim-offender mediation
or community work service, or seen as a politically correct way of naming the activities already in place in probation departments.
As a result, real changes don't take place. A new program is developed or an existing program is renamed and yet the desired
outcomes are only achieved superficially, if at all.
Restorative justice is a way of thinking. It is a fundamentally different framework for understanding and responding to crime
and victimization in communities. Correctional systems adopting a restorative justice approach are no longer driven by offender
concerns only. Instead, they acknowledge the need for a three-dimensional response involving victims, offenders, and the community.
Once correctional agencies clearly understand restorative justice, their activities will naturally follow it. However, agencies
can't plunk down the latest restorative justice program and think that they are now performing restorative corrections. The
transition is easier if agencies have staff members who "think restorative justice" and if they develop policies that have
a clear purpose which brings about wholeness in victims, offenders, and communities.
An illustration might be helpful. A supervisor of a probation intake unit has hired a new probation officer who will be writing
pre-sentence investigation reports. Often in such a situation, the tendency is to train the officer by explaining what the
headings are in the report, when the report is due, and the various do's and don'ts. When we do this, we are describing the
activities we want accomplished. We also do this when explaining probation contact standards. The probation officer is told
how often each offender is required to be seen for the corresponding risk level. Rarely do we discuss what is the purpose
of the investigative report or the offender contact. What is the outcome we are looking for? How does the desired outcome
respond to needs of individual victims and the victimized community? If we simply describe the activities we expect the new
officer to complete, we are not encouraging the new officer to think independently. Therefore, every time a new circumstance
arises, the officer needs to consult with the supervisor in order to determine what the supervisor expects in that circumstance.
We free up our personnel when we allow them to understand and work toward the restorative justice outcome and not simply perform
a set of tasks.
Staff members in correctional agencies will not behave the way we want them to until we stop telling them how to act and instead
tell them who they are and what outcomes we are looking for in their work. When we tell the probation officer that he or she
is a restoration officer who is responsible for bringing about repair to the victim, competency development in the offender,
and safety to the community, we have defined who the officer is and what outcomes we expect. That individual then is freed
up to do his or her job and is less preoccupied with the specific activities which may or may not bring the department closer
to meeting restorative justice goals. Despite the volatile nature of crime, there are very few circumstances where the restorative
justice "roadmap" won't allow the officer to determine the best course of action.
Restorative justice is a way of thinking, a way of behaving, and a way of measuring. Until we change the way we think about
why probation exists, we can't change our behavior. We can't measure the changes until our behavior changes.
One of the first steps in preparing for a restorative justice planning process is making sure that the agency leadership understands
what restorative justice is. On the surface, the concept seems simple enough. In practice, it is much more difficult. Often,
people grasp the concept but are not sure how the concept is put into practice. As with so many conceptual frameworks, one
can justify most activities depending on one's understanding and emphasis on parts of the framework. Understanding a new conceptual
framework requires careful study and discussion, thorough readings, conferences, and intrastaff dialogue. It is often the
skeptics of the organization who can be most helpful in the preparation stage. The skeptic might be the one to ask, "Why are
we doing this? What is not working properly and needs to be fixed? How is this really different from what we are doing now?"
These questions test the leadership's knowledge of the concept and help identify the concerns agency staff might have.
It is useful for the agency leadership to examine the existing organizational readiness for change. Is the agency ripe for
positive change? What are the risks that might result in triggering momentum toward negative change? How motivated is the
staff for change of any kind? What pressures exist that might make the timing for the planning process good or bad? Janssen
(1987) speaks of organizational change in the context of a "Four-Room Apartment." These "apartments" or stages are: (1) contentment,
(2) renewal, (3) denial, and (4) confusion. The collective staff attitude about the agency mission and direction and the staff
understanding of the need for change are usually predominantly in one of these stages. When organizational change occurs,
it tends to move in a circular motion from the upper left to the bottom right (i.e., from contentment to denial to confusion
to renewal and back to contentment again). Naturally, the organization is most motivated for change in the confusion and renewal
stages. Restorative justice provides a compelling reason for an organization to move into the renewal stage, which is often
characterized by vibrancy, excitement, energy, and creativity. The actual organizational approach to restorative justice,
however, should differ depending on the current stage of the organization. For example, if the agency is in the denial stage,
the organization will need a great deal of time to discuss what isn't working well and the reasons to initiate change.
Agency workload can be a major barrier to an open discussion of the merits of a restorative justice planning process. When
staff members are burdened by ever increasing workloads, it can be extremely difficult even to initiate the discussion. Staff
members tend to view it as yet another meeting added to their workday which prevents them from getting their done. On the
other hand, workload can be a motivating factor. Many probation officers have begun to realize that the caseload pressures
have taken away job satisfaction and overall probation effectiveness. Given tight budgets and limited resources, relief from
the burgeoning workload is not likely to be provided soon. These circumstances can be a major motivating factor, making an
organization ready for change. Agency circumstances must be considered before initiating a planning process. The question
of how the time invested in restorative justice planning will benefit the department, the clients served, and individual staff
work must be answered before a planning process may successfully be launched.
After agency leaders make an organizational assessment of readiness, they must introduce the restorative justice concept to
the agency staff through a variety of presentations and smaller discussion groups. Since such a planning effort will affect
every staff position represented both horizontally and vertically across the department, all staff members need to be exposed
to an overview of the restorative justice framework, preferably simultaneously. It is helpful to answer the question "Why?"
at this point. Why would the department undergo a large-scale planning process and invest up to hundreds of hours of staff
time for what appears to be an abstract concept? Possible questions for management to expect include: What needs to be changed?
How would this improve services? How would this help me with my workload? Am I going to be expected to increase services to
victims when I can't deliver sufficient services to offenders? If the community is supposed to be more involved, who is going
to take the responsibility to foster that involvement? Are my day-to-day job responsibilities going to change? Is this planning
process voluntary on my part?
These questions should not imply that the workforce will view restorative justice in a negative light. More often, probation
staffs respond with enthusiasm and hope. It makes sense to them, especially as it becomes obvious that the social problems
are becoming more complex and the criminal justice system can't be expected to be the sole response to the problem. Nonetheless,
the agency director should expect a number of practical questions that seek to bridge the intellectual gap between the abstract
concept which delivers well on promise and the detailed answers to "how does it affect me?"
At this introduction stage the agency may be most vulnerable to adopting quick fixes. The staff members most excited by the
restorative justice framework will want to channel their energy into work products. Those intrigued by the concept but overwhelmed
by current day-to-day activities will seek short-term solutions such as replicating a successful program started in another
jurisdiction. Managers will be attracted to quick responses to avoid protracted planning processes that consume inordinate
amounts of time. However, this is the time to exercise maximum discipline and self-restraint. The agency director can recognize
staff time constraints by offering a longer planning timeframe. Many staff members will welcome a longer timeframe so that
they can study the matter further and be involved in the planning process if they are offered the opportunity. Since restorative
justice is a new way of thinking and organizing agency activities, it requires a lengthy period of time to understand and
implement. It takes time to anticipate and plan for the fallout of major changes. Quick changes will result in problematic
chain reactions that can jeopardize the positive change environment. The challenge to the agency director is to keep the excitement
vibrant while holding back any "quick fixes."
Changing the way we think as individuals is not easy. We have a patterned way of conceptualizing and responding to events.
It is no different with an agency and can be exacerbated by the diversity of the staff. Each organization has a culture of
its own, a milieu which tends to perpetuate certain behaviors and attitudes and to discourage others. To alter this culture
takes time and forethought. There are three cultural shift rules of thumb that can help in the planning process.
Agency leadership cannot sustain a long-term cultural shift by fiat. It is the staff members who deliver the core services.
They will either agree with, and act on, restorative justice or they won't. An internally motivated individual is nearly always
better at delivering the product than one externally motivated. Ownership of an agency mission and its outcome is best accomplished
when the "stakeholders" in that agency have been a part of defining that mission and outcome.
It's not enough to encourage staff members to participate. Often, barriers exist which prevent full participation. They may
be large workloads or inconvenient scheduled meeting times. Staff members may require management reassurance that input is
genuinely sought, even if the staff members' ideas are contrary to those of the administration. Most of us as employees seek
both formal and informal permission to get involved and express opinions openly without fear of retaliation or labeling. Staff
members need to know that the agency is interested in improving services, that staff members are in the best position to offer
ideas that work given their direct experience, and that management is willing to reduce barriers that might prohibit them
from participating. It is not necessary for all staff members to be involved in the planning process, but involvement of a
large portion of the agency is helpful. These staff members will later become the groundswell of support and initiative.
There will always be, however, a small percentage of employees who will not offer input and who will disparage attempts to
improve services. It's important to give these employees a chance to express their views and to attempt to accommodate any
legitimate concerns, but not to allow unproductive criticism to lead to erosion of the planning process.
There are no shortcuts to good planning, especially when it involves a foundational change (or enhancement) of correctional
philosophy or principles. Restorative justice threatens existing thinking patterns and staff members need time to reflect
on its principles, challenge its assumptions, and test its application.
For some, concepts must come from different sources in order to be credible. The technical assistance provided to Dakota County
through the BARJ project was invaluable. Consultants from other jurisdictions presented information and demonstrated that
restorative justice principles can be put into practice with positive results. Newspaper accounts, quotes from non-correctional
personnel, and other sources all helped convey the message that restorative justice is not a whimsical fancy but a concept
that has captured the curiosity, and often the support, of professionals of many disciplines.
There can be no substitute for consistent and thorough communication. When workload increases, often the communication flow
gets clogged and ineffective. Probation staff may be unaware of administrative planning activities and the time devoted to
them. Assumptions are made about what is, or is not, happening. The administration makes assumptions about what is important
to the staff. Constant communication is the only sure way to know how restorative justice is being received by personnel.
This communication includes giving information, keeping the staff aware of planning efforts, and listening to staff observations,
concerns, and ideas.
It is helpful to set up both formal and informal avenues for discussions on restorative justice. Staff members can be encouraged
to attend outside training on the subject. Brown bag luncheons can be organized. Also, spontaneous discussions about restorative
justice can often lead to excellent innovative thoughts. As one staff member noted, even "bad ideas are better than no ideas
at all."
The planners who are exploring the ideas and implications of restorative justice for the department will become the internal
experts. They will understand the concept and begin to imagine how it can be implemented. A collective vision will begin to
emerge. As the staff planners spend more time on the subject, the tendency will be to lose touch with those staff members
who chose not to participate in the planning process. Periodic "wind tests" are helpful to assess whether the planners are
getting too far ahead of the staff body.
These wind tests might include sending out a memo describing the status of the planning project and inviting staff members
either to sit in on a planning meeting or to express thoughts in writing or verbally. The agency might want to send out a
survey (with a quick checklist format, along with an open-ended section for those who want to elaborate) to gauge how well
staff members understand the restorative justice concept, whether they agree with it, and whether they have any other thoughts
that would be useful to the planners. This reality check helps the planning group determine whether additional information
is needed or if certain barriers or opportunities exist that need to be attended to. Some examples of Dakota County staff
comments on such a survey early in the planning process included:
Communicating the results of the staff feedback is helpful. Staff members may or may not know how the rest of their colleagues
are viewing the planning direction. It is useful to let them know that they are not alone in their concerns or to make them
aware that there is a great deal of excitement about the potential benefits to the department.
The longer an agency studies restorative justice and considers possible recommendations, the more some staff members will
want someone to come out and announce the changes that are to take place. Most of us don't like working in an environment
in which there is an awareness that "something" is about to take place, but what that something is, and when it will happen,
is unclear. Such an atmosphere is anxiety-producing. Management must resist this pressure to make quick decisions, to "decide
and move on," or it can undermine the grassroots ownership process of the planning efforts. However, staff members must be
given reassurances that the planning process will not be prolonged beyond a reasonable timeframe and that they will receive
opportunities to have their input considered before any final recommendations are implemented. Failure to provide some of
these reassurances will create department-wide anxiety that could grow into paranoia.
Perhaps what contributed most to the Dakota County BARJ Project success was the use of all-day "kick-offs" or training sessions
with national consultants who were credible, who were knowledgeable about corrections, and who had implemented restorative
justice principles in programs and policies within their agencies. The BARJ model emphasizes the need for greater balance
in corrections by focusing on the objectives of offender competency development, offender accountability, and community safety
while concurrently focusing on the emotional and material needs of individual victims and victimized communities. Dakota County
scheduled two all-day sessions (about 9 weeks apart), one with the director of the Deschutes County, Oregon, Community Corrections
Department on competency development, and on with the chief probation officer in Quincy, Massachusetts, on accountability
and community safety.
The consultants both provided an overview of what restorative justice means to a corrections agency. These overviews helped
reiterate the basic tenets of the framework, which need to be repeated in order ensure more comprehensive learning. Both consultants
provided practical examples of how restorative justice was implemented in their regions in order promote one of the three
objectives. It was useful to use two different consultants, as both had different approaches to the concepts and different
presentation styles, which meant that both reached a different segment of the staff attending.
The all-day sessions were divided into 1) a presentation of how restorative justice can promote specific objectives within
the BARJ approach and 2) a brainstorming process on how Dakota County might implement policy and program changes. The brain
storming served the following purposes:
At the end of the second all-day consultation, the department staff had a more complete understanding of restorative justice
and was beginning to envision how the department might deliver services differently if restorative justice provided the philosophical
underpinnings of the agency's activities. At this time, staff members were solicited to volunteer for one of three action
groups focusing on either competency development, accountability, or community safety. Approximately 50 percent of the department
staff volunteered to serve on one of the action groups.
One way to organize the staff planning effort is to divide the assignment into smaller, more focused work groups such as groups
on community safety, competency development, and accountability. Dakota County staff members volunteered for a specific action
group depending on which topic they thought they could contribute the most toward. Each group was to take the list of brainstormed
ideas from the two all-day training sessions, debate the merits of them, and refine or reject them. The groups were to expand
upon the recommendations that they believed had merit and submit them to management. The groups described each proposed action
step in more detail, gave a means to reach the objective, and provided a timeline by which the action was to be completed
and assigned to an individual department staff member who would be give the authority and responsibility to implement it.
The management provided each action group with a booklet that summarized the ideas generated and a list of guidelines designed
to assist group members in staying on task and completing assignments. As few "rules" as possible were given in order to maximize
the creativity of the staff groups. Some rules were necessary. For example, many ideas were expressed which may have benefited
the department but were not linked to restorative justice. To keep the tasks focused, the groups understood that each recommendation
was to somehow bring the department closer to a restorative justice corrections system. If an idea could not be articulated
in that context, the idea was set aside for further consideration outside of the BARJ project.
Of particular importance was that resource constraints were removed. Creativity can be stifled when lack of resources is mentioned
each time an idea is expressed. A well-designed concept that appears, on the surface, to necessitate a large infusion of time
or money can often be implemented with few additional resources. This can be done by carrying out the idea in stages or shifting
the existing resource allocation priorities. Removing the resource consideration freed up the staff to concentrate on restorative
Given the breadth of the staff planning effort, Dakota County set up a Restorative Justice Steering Committee made up of two
action group representatives from each of the three groups and administrative staff. The steering committee solicited thoughts,
concerns, and ideas from the staff, explored common themes, and served as troubleshooters to address potential problems. When
confusion arose, the steering committee discussed the issue and clarified the matter through the action group representative.
In addition, it was discovered that some restorative justice action steps did not fit neatly into any of the three action
groups established. For example, the proposals for determining outcome measures and promoting community involvement required
discussion outside of the action groups. Therefore, the steering committee took on the roles of consultant to the action groups,
addressing potential problems and devising department-wide recommendations that were greater in scope.
Once the restorative justice recommendations are developed enough to explain their practicality to all staff, the groundwork
for the next stage is laid. In Dakota County, a vision of where the department wanted to be 5 years later was needed. It was
not enough to understand restorative justice and to have a series of recommended action steps to implement. The department
needed a compelling vision of what the staff activities and outcomes should look like further ahead. This vision would help
carry the agency toward its goal. Rather than just a potpourri of restorative justice recommendations, the staff needed to
visualize what services would actually be like if the staff pushed ahead as planned.
All staff members involved in the action groups were invited to a "vision assembly." It was an all-day event at which staff
members were to create a vision using the ideas proposed by the three action groups. The invitees were given this task:
Imagine that the Dakota County Community Corrections Department no longer exists. All of you have mysteriously evaporated.
There are no units. All of the equipment remains, but the staff is gone. There is no history. There is only the future. You
have been asked to create a community corrections department that is restorative in design. All other parts of the criminal
justice system remain the same-the same judges, attorneys, social services, etc. The "system" practices remain the same, but
how you might respond to those practices may change. You can keep the same organizational structure or alter it altogether.
Whatever your model looks like, the only requirement is that it must fit a restorative justice framework.
The staff was divided into three groups, with each group assigned the same task. Staff members divided themselves into groups
depending on how they classified their current views on what the department should look like in five years. The three groups
were: The Tinkerers (those who ascribed to the opinion that the agency only needed to tinker with existing services, organizational
structure, and policies), The Radicals (those who wanted to sharply diverge from existing practice), and The Moderates (those
in between the two extremes). Each group then documented its vision.
Surprisingly, the similarities in how the three groups viewed the vision were far more common than the differences. More amazing
was the fact that the Tinkerers were more apt to sharply change the department than the Radicals were. A collective vision
began to emerge with the group as items of agreement were pulled together. This consensus became the foundation for the proposed
vision and ultimately the final action plan. The vision was given to the steering committee to finalize the details before
presenting it to the full staff.
The final stage of the change process included a session with one of the national consultants who had undergone similar planning
efforts and a presentation to all of the staff for feedback and further refinement. By now in the process, there should be
no surprises. Management has communicated with staff members all through the process. Opportunities for input and feedback
have been provided. The staff has been anticipating the final recommendations for some time. The time is right.
It is at this stage that things can unravel. Up to this point, no staff member has been immediately threatened with a change
in his or her day-to-day work activities. No manager has been asked to change the way he or she manages the unit or supervises
the unit staff. It is not uncommon for many of us to delay consideration of, or ignore altogether, those events that may never
come to pass until they actually happen. At this stage it will be increasingly apparent that a staff member might be asked
to do something that he or she has not done before or is not immediately competent to do without training and additional experience.
For example, the probation officer may be requested to provide to the client competency development instruction instead of
the traditional monitoring of the client's activities. This shift in emphasis means that the probation officer must learn
a new set of skills. For many, this will represent an exciting change for the betterment of staff, client, and public. For
others, it will cause anxiety and possibly fear.
Management should take into account these real concerns when it proposes the recommendations. It may appear as if the process
has to start over, but such action won't be necessary. It does mean that some staff will once again need some time to think
through the implications that change will have for them. Patience and reassurance is helpful to get staff and supervisors
through this stage. Piloting a significant change with a subset of the staff can be a way of working through both the potential
pitfalls that come with any change and the anxieties.
This article was written for the corrections administrator or planner who is seeking to initiate a planning effort in his
or her corrections agency. Beginning a planning process for an entire criminal justice system would be a good subject for
a different article. It would, however, be useful to comment here on the importance of including all the agencies in the criminal
justice system when planning for restorative justice. Corrections is part of an interdependent system. Change in one part
of the system affects other agencies in that system. Attempts to accomplish objectives can be thwarted or enhanced depending
on the level of understanding and cooperation between each of the agencies.
Judicial commitment to restoration, for example, can be a key factor in how well a corrections agency meets its restorative
objectives. If a corrections agency develops a victim/offender mediation program, for example, which is not supported by the
judiciary, the program can fail quickly. On the other hand, if the court supports restorative concepts, a type of synergy
can occur, resulting in system-wide application of restorative principles.
Any thorough planning effort should include efforts at educating system representatives on restorative justice and provide
opportunities for their input. These efforts should not be limited to the criminal justice system. A key tenet in restorative
justice is that the community become more involved in correctional matters at all stages. The community contains the primary
players who can prevent crime. And, when crime does occur, the community can intercede in 1) providing the victim assistance,
support, and security, and 2) providing for offender accountability and opportunities for productive change.
In fact, restorative justice planning without significant involvement of community leaders and neighborhood activists falls
short of comprehensive restoration. Communities are more motivated to get involved in crime matters today than perhaps ever
before in modern history. As do corrections professionals, citizens need a framework from which to think about crime, its
causes, and effective interventions. Although citizens are an important resource for corrections, they have not been tapped
to a significant extent until recently.
Restorative justice provides a helpful framework for understanding crime and its consequences in a far more balanced perspective.
Instead of being offender driven, it leads to policies and interventions that also address the needs of individual victims
and victimized communities. Restorative justice emphasizes the importance of holding offenders personally accountable for
their criminal behavior while maximizing opportunities for the active involvement of victims and community members in the
justice process (Bazemore, 1994, 1992; Dignan, 1990; Maloney, Romig, & Armstrong, 1988; Marshall & Merry, 1990; Umbreit &
Coates, 1993 ' 1992; Umbreit, 1994a, 1994b, 1989; Wright, 1991; Zehr, 1990).
Moving a corrections department to adopt restorative justice as its mission requires creative leadership, vision, and maximum
involvement of all agency staff through continual two-way communication. The journey toward a more balanced and restorative
justice system also requires a deep commitment to long-term systemic change that is grounded in a spirit of collaboration,
renewal and hope.
Back to Organizational Change
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Umbreit, M.S., (1994a). Victim Meets Offender: The Impact of Restorative Justice and Mediation. Monsey, NY: Criminal Justice Press.
Umbreit, M.S., (1994b). Victim Empowerment Through Mediation: The Impact of Victim Offender Mediation in Four Cities. Perspectives [Special issue], 25-30.
Umbreit, M.S. (1991, July). Restorative Justice: Having Offenders Meet with Their Victim Offers Benefits for Both Parties.
Corrections Today, 164-166.
Umbreit, M.S. (1989). Victims Seeking Fairness, Not Revenge: Toward Restorative Justice. Federal Probation, 53, 52-57.
Wright, M. (1991). Justice for Victims and Offenders. Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press.
Zehr, H. (1990). Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Criminal Justice. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press.
National Institute of Justice, 810 Seventh Street, NW, Washington, DC 20531


text:
It isn't a sin to find yourself looking back wistfully to the tactile experience of buying a new record on the day of its release, of journeying to your local independent record store, Virgin Megastore (RIP) or HMV (ICU) as close to 9am on a Monday as work, school or lectures would allow.
I miss digesting the graphics on the sleeve, the design of the inlay, the liner notes – if there were any – and even the titles of each track and the way they looked in sequence. The object would play upon the mind with a delicious sense of expectation, before the music had a chance to.
The digital age, we're told, has destroyed any of this sense of romantic ceremony which used to accompany music. It has rendered an individual song as throwaway a purchase as a chocolate bar at a service station counter (alongside supermarkets, incidentally, surely one of the last outposts of physical music sales to exist in the country before long). It's not an unreasonable opinion to bear, frankly, although two recent and well publicised music industry events point to a future where the release of new music might once more instil a sense of communal occasion.
First came David Bowie's new single Where Are We Now? one week into the new year, entirely unheralded given his rumoured health-induced retirement, but a pleasant nostalgia trip which invited much re-evaluation of Bowie's healthy back catalogue and fulfilled the traditional role of lead single – to trail the release of March's first album in a decade, The Next Day.
Yet it was last weekend's also unexpected – although at least rumoured – online release of My Bloody Valentine's mbv, which seemed to foster a new paradigm in the enjoyment of music within hours of its release.
In those days of fresh card sleeves wrapped in gleaming cellophane, we used to build our sense of expectation by reading longform album reviews in the press and trying to create the sounds they described through comparison and often bludgeoning metaphor in our minds, often for days or weeks on end.
Yet on Saturday night and on into the week, the experience fragmented and transferred itself to Twitter and Facebook, as we watched our friends live-reviewing the record for themselves as they and we listened to it for the first time.
From experiencing the reassuring retro familiarity of she found now and only tomorrow to the mind-addling guitar loop of nothing is and wonder 2's soaring charge, or even just reported frustration at not being able to access the music, it was the old-fashioned communal experience of sitting round the record player and dropping the needle, only amplified across the world.
Is the sensation repeatable? Well it took 22 years of a wait for mbv to deserve such an outpouring. Perhaps, for example, a new Stone Roses or Radiohead record released in such a way might provide the same rush, although there's an undoubted irony in old-timers being the ones we look to for such a euphoric new sensation.
• mbv is available now at www.mybloodyvalentine.org

subset: commoncrawl


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July 18, 2012
Some of Godard's ESL students, who range from first- to fifth-grade.
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Cosart directed not to swing throughout start
After hurting back during at-bat in first NL outing, Marlins take no chances with pitcher
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
MIAMI -- No signs from third-base coach Brett Butler were needed when Jarred Cosart stepped into the batter's box on Tuesday night.
The Marlins right-hander was under orders to not swing the bat. Bunting would be fine, but that was it.
Cosart did as ordered. He took five pitches and struck out looking in the second inning, and watched three pitches for his second strikeout in the fourth.
All the Marlins cared about was Cosart's pitching, and the 24-year-old did that quite effectively. He threw seven shutout innings in the Marlins' 3-0 win over the Cardinals.
Why the take sign? Because Cosart hadn't pitched in 11 days due to a tight lower back. The ailment occurred on Aug. 1, the day after he was acquired from the Astros.
Coming over from the American League, Cosart didn't do much hitting. But in his first start for Miami, he legged out an infield single, which was his first big league hit. However, the swing, coupled with the sprint, created some discomfort in his lower back.
Facing Adam Wainwright on Tuesday night, manager Mike Redmond gave a directive.
"I didn't want him taking any swings that were going to hurt him," Redmond said. "Had we had him in a situation where we needed to score a run, we probably would have had to hit for him, knowing he hadn't taken any swings. Fortunately, we didn't get in that situation."
The Cardinals were aware of Cosart's condition, and it factored into strategy in Miami's three-run fourth inning. Wainwright had two outs and had already given up a run. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was on base, with eighth hitter Donovan Solano at the plate.
Knowing Cosart was on deck, Wainwright pitched to Solano, who connected on a two-run homer.
"I know the pitcher was on deck, and that he was probably not swinging," Wainwright said. "I'm just never thinking someone's going to hit a home run off me. I don't give up many home runs. And he made a good swing."
Solano actually received a bit of good fortune, because the ball down the line managed to stay fair.
"That ball was 10 feet foul and it came back fair," Wainwright said. "It was just the craziest ball flight I've ever seen. I think I'd gotten so caught up with trying to stuff that one in there that I didn't juice it like I wanted to."
The plan is to eventually get Cosart swinging the bat, but Tuesday wasn't the time.
"The first at-bat, he threw me some right down the middle," Cosart said. "But again, get through this game healthy and we'll work on swinging easy and getting in shape. I don't want to embarrass myself again and go up there and swing hard and hurt myself."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Eagle Palms
After becoming an Eagle Scout, you may earn Palms by completing the following requirements:
You may wear only the proper combination of Palms for the number of merit badges you earned beyond the rank of Eagle. The Bronze Palm represents 5 merit badges, the Gold Palm 10, and the Silver Palm 15.
*Merit Badges earned any time since becoming a Boy Scout may be used to meet this requirement.
Legal and Pseudo-Legal Stuff
This site is entirely not-for-profit, and is provided as a service for members and parents of Boy Scout Troop 93. Any information obtained from this site, such as names, e-mail or postal addresses, may not be used for any commercial purposes, including business solicitations. We respect the privacy of our members. If you find information or photographs of yourself, and you 'ld like them removed, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com and such data will be removed immediately. We have also tried hard to verify the accuracy of the information presented on this site however, we are not responsible for any typographical or contextual errors that may exist. If you notice any such errors, please inform us and we'll correct them at our earliest convenience.


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The Voice of the Black Community
Party in the Park Concert Series
Date: May 14, 2014
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: Show map
Romare Bearden Park
300 S. Church Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Contact: Lori Saylor
Phone: (704)353-0504
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Site: www.charmeck.org
Party in the Park Series: This is a series of weekly performances featuring new and upcoming talent. The series will start May 7, 2014 and run through September. The series will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the following dates:
May 7: Peace & Love
May 14: Trial by Fire
May 21: Who Rescued Who
May 28: Lipstick on a Pig
June 4: The Extraordinaires
June 11: Too Much Sylvia
June 18: Flashback, The Party Band
June 25: The Volunteers, U.S. Army Field Band
Go Back | Send this page to a friend


text:
Utley battling past late-season struggles
Second baseman sees positive effects of recent rest
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
But while winning three consecutive National League East titles and the 2008 World Series, the Phillies have overcome the late-season struggles that have become maddening for Utley.
Utley, a career .295 hitter, has combined to bat .262 with eight homers and a .776 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) during the past three Septembers. In comparison, during each of the first five months of these past three division-winning seasons, the four-time All-Star second baseman has hit .310.
"I think a lot of it is mental," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's the 162-game schedule, the grind that you have. I think players get physically and mentally worn down. I think mental is definitely plays a big part, especially like when you prepare and you put forth everything you've got into it like Utley does."
Unfortunately for Utley, the regular-season grind has also possibly proven to be a factor when the playoffs have arrived.
Entering Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Thursday afternoon, Utley had hit .215 with three homers and a .770 OPS in 18 career postseason games. During the 5-1 win against the Rockies in Game 1 on Wednesday afternoon, the 30-year-old second baseman's lone hit in four at-bats was a single that sparked a three-run sixth inning.
"He looks good," Manuel said. "Actually I went and watched him take BP, and I think the rest that he got the last three or four days definitely helped him."
Attempting to provide Utley a chance to get fresh for the postseason, Manuel removed him from Saturday's game against the Marlins after just four innings and then allowed him to rest throughout Sunday afternoon's regular-season finale.
Recognized as a student of the game, Utley took advantage of this time by analyzing some of his at-bats and the tendencies of some of the Rockies pitchers.
"You know, the days off the last few days of the season were nice," Utley said. "I just could relax a little bit and watch some baseball instead of participate. As far as doing my homework, it stays the same every single day, just trying to put a game plan together on defense. Offensively, just trying to find the best way to win."
There has certainly never been any reason to doubt Utley's determination to compete and be on the field on a regular basis. While still basking in the euphoria that followed last year's World Series title, it was confirmed that Utley had spent the final months of the 2008 season battling discomfort in his right hip.
Early projections were that he may miss the first two months of the 2009 season. But the veteran second baseman was in the Opening Day lineup and managed to play 156 games this year. More impressively, he hit .323 with 10 homers and a 1.119 OPS in the first 27 games this season.
In the 125 games that Utley played through the end of August, he hit .304 with 29 homers and a .976 OPS. But in his final 31 games of the year, he hit .193 with two homers and a .695 OPS.
"Actually I feel pretty good," Utley said. "This year was a little different for me. I obviously had the surgery last year, coming back in four months, which was the quickest time that they gave me to come back, so overall I'm pretty proud of my body and myself and the way that I've handled this year."
When asked how he might be able to prevent Utley from having to endure some of the late-season struggles that have been haunted him the past few years, Manuel smiled and light-heartedly said he'd like the Phillies to find a backup that would allow him to feel comfortable about resting his All-Star second baseman for at least 15 games each season.
"I try to put the best team possible on the field to win and sometimes you look up and [Utley] is playing," Manuel said. "But at the same time, he has to play if we're going to win."
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Bangladesh: red crescent campaigns for correct use of emblem
26-10-2012 Photo gallery
Every year, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society carries out several campaigns to raise awareness about the appropriate use of the red crescent emblem as a protective and as an indicative device. From 19 to 23 September 2012, Bangladesh Red Crescent volunteers in the north-eastern district of Habiganj went door-to-door to address and raise awareness of instances of misuse of this symbol of hope and impartiality. The ICRC teamed up with the volunteers to bring the local government and members of civil society on board.


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Pollster 'does not speak for' Cable
Vince Cable has condemned a Liberal Democrat peer for commissioning and leaking a poll suggesting Nick Clegg will lose his seat in Parliament.
In a strongly worded statement, the Business Secretary distanced himself from Lord Oakeshott, a frequent critic of party leader Mr Clegg.
Mr Clegg's position has come under acute pressure in the wake of dire local and European election results in recent days but he has insisted he will carry on in his post.
Leaked polls suggested Mr Clegg faced losing his own Sheffield Hallam constituency at next year's general election if he failed to step down in an attempt to stem electoral meltdown.
In a statement, Mr Cable said: "Lord Oakeshott's actions are totally inexcusable and unacceptable. I have made it very clear repeatedly that he does not speak or act for me.
"Commissioning and publishing polls without the consent of the Member of Parliament, as in the case of Sheffield Hallam, is utterly reprehensible.
"There are undoubtedly raw feelings in the wake of poor local and European election results. We need to respond in a measured way. Public speculation about the leadership is an unwelcome distraction and as I made absolutely clear yesterday there is no leadership issue as far as I'm concerned."
Earlier, Lib Dem sources suggested Lord Oakeshott, a friend of Mr Cable, commissioned the Sheffield Hallam polling that was leaked to The Guardian.
Mr Cable insisted yesterday there was "no leadership issue" and praised Mr Clegg's stand on Europe.
The sources questioned some elements of the methodology used by ICM, pointing out that results from last week's elections indicated the Lib Dems would have won the parliamentary seat by a clear margin.
Mr Clegg has repeated his insistence he will not stand aside as leader of the Liberal Democrats amid continued protest from party members.
At an event in Westminster, he told reporters: "Look, I think if I felt or indeed if the whole party felt that changing strategy, changing leaders, pulling out of the coalition, which is what a number of these individuals advocate, would deal with the challenge which the party faces, because of course we face challenges - that's obviously daft to suggest otherwise - then I wouldn't hesitate to advocate it.
"But I think it's so important that particularly at a time when our big judgments as a party over the last few years, difficult years they've been politically, are now being vindicated in terms of delivering the economic recovery that we came to this Government to deliver, delivering all the things that we've been campaigning on for years.
"I think that's not the time to start turning inwards when we of course as a party, as a campaigning party should be talking to the British people about what we want to do in the future."
A spokeswoman for the Prime Minister was repeatedly asked about Mr Clegg's position at a briefing for journalists this morning.
"This is a strong coalition that is pursuing its long term economic plan," she insisted.
The Deputy Prime Minister was also backed in his work by Tony Blair who said he admired the "leadership and courage" of Mr Clegg's actions in government.
Baroness Shirley Williams told Channel 4 News she believed Mr Clegg had considered resigning in the wake of results but was talked out of it - despite his insistence he had not considered walking away from his post.
She said: "I don't think he decided to do it but he certainly considered it. But he rejected it on the grounds that it would do the party no good at all."


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Napoli jumped to second place in Serie A thanks to a laboured 1-0 win at lowly Cagliari while fellow title hopefuls Inter Milan suffered a 1-0 defeat at Parma in Monday's late game.
Napoli are within two points of leaders Juventus thanks to Marek Hamsik's second-half goal which moved them above an Inter side undone by Nicola Sansone's fine individual late strike.
Juventus, who lost 1-0 at AC Milan on Sunday, have 32 points from 14 games with their lead cut from four points with Napoli now on 30 above Fiorentina and Inter who are level on 28.
Napoli, without suspended striker Edinson Cavani and the injured Goran Pandev, made hard work of beating Cagliari, with Hamsik's 73rd minute goal enough to earn the three points.
The visitors looked flat at times although young striker Lorenzo Insigne went close to scoring either side of the half-hour mark, hitting the post and later dragging a shot wide.
Cagliari appealed for a penalty when Alessandro Gamberini upended midfielder Daniele Conti, who then directed a Thiago Ribeiro corner against the post just before the break.
Napoli were on the back foot for much of the second half but scored when Juan Zuniga ran into the box in the 72nd and found Hamsik who struck the ball past keeper Michael Agazzi, sparking Cagliari protests that the Slovakian was offside.
"It was a difficult game, but we did really well," Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri told Sky Italia. "We suffered a bit during the second half, but I have to compliment my team.
Turning to his side's chances of winning Serie A, he added: "I'm really not thinking about the title. We'll see where we are at the end of the season."
Inter's recent mini-slump had seen them lose at Atalanta and draw against Cagliari and their fortunes were not about to improve at Parma, who have moved up to seventh on 20 points.
To add to their woes the Nerazzurri were without suspended creative outlet Antonio Cassano while the saga surrounding Wesley Sneijder's future has been an unwelcome distraction, the Dutchman having been asked to accept a reduced wage package.
Coach Antonio Stramaccioni had called for "hunger and grit" on the eve of the game but instead Inter looked timid and tired, struggled to link up midfield with attack and frequently found themselves chasing the ball against a hard-working Parma team.
The hosts had most of the possession in the first half but failed to make it count with Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic comfortably dealing with a tame Amauri shot and also keeping out attempts from the lively Jonathan Biabiany and Gabriel Paletta.
With Parma snapping at their heels and closing down the midfield, Inter struggled to find space despite the best efforts of seasoned campaigner Esteban Cambiasso, whose 36th-minute header was cleared off the line by Jaime Valdes.
The visitors had a bit more bite after the break but Parma held their nerve and continued to cut off the supply lines to Inter's ineffective front pair Diego Milito and Rodrigo Palacio.
Parma took a 75th-minute lead when Sansone ran 40 metres, easing his away from two defenders before calmly slotting the ball past Handanovic with a neat right-foot shot.
Inter immediately set about trying to find an equaliser, with substitute Coutinho, on for Ricardo Alvarez, linking up well with Milito before testing Parma keeper Antonio Mirante.
Parma, who have struggled to find consistency but remain unbeaten at home, showed plenty of team spirit and concentration to cope with Inter's constant pressing towards the end leaving the visitors frustrated and, at the final whistle, deflated.
"That was our worst second-half performance of the season," Stramaccioni told Sky Italia. "Usually we improve after the break, but tonight it just didn't happen for us.
"I don't know if it's a physical problem but we can't allow goals like Sansone's. He ran 50 metres without anyone marking him.
"We've now got just one point in three games. We're angry. But this isn't a problem of individuals. This is my fault," he added.
Parma's delighted coach Roberto Donadoni said: "It was a great collective performance, a fully deserved victory. I have to compliment my players.
"I played with a 4-3-3 system, because I wanted to send a message to the team that we don't have to be defeatist.
"I thought Inter, needing to win, might concede space, and that's pretty much how it went. Probably Inter weren't at their best tonight..."
Photograph: Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters


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The state attorney general's office has accepted Mayor Jason Buelterman's plan of action for making sure open meetings laws are not violated.
Buelterman had reported an incident last month in which the council had voted against firing the city manager after executive session, without alerting me that the closed door meeting had ended.
In the future, Buelterman said that the council will not allow votes on any item after executive session except when necessary, appropriate and after ensuring the media and members of the public that are present are invited into the meeting area.
Senior Assistant Attorney General Stefan Ritter responded in a memo dated April 3 that they appreciated Buelterman bringing the matter to their attention, however, because corrective action has been taken, there is no need for the matter to be pursued further.


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Sequoia/Kings Canyon NP > Black Kaweah > Climber's Log
Black Kaweah Climber's Log
[ Sign the Climber's Log ]
Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2017
|Storms made this the only peak of the trip, but a good one!
|Posted Oct 6, 2017 1:15 am
|From Mineral King
Date Climbed: Sep 4, 2016
|Three day hike from Mineral King over Labor Day weekend. Went over Hands & Knees Pass on the way out and Black Rock Pass on the way back. We thought Black Rock was a little easier with big backpacks since it's mostly trail even though it's higher and longer. The peak itself had lots of fun Class 3 climbing. We got into some Class 4 stuff near the bottom of the main chute when some cairns lured us over there from the right chute too low. We found the correct route on the way back since there was no way we were going to downclimb the way we came up!
|Posted Sep 6, 2016 6:02 pm
|kevin trieu
|escape from the storm
|3-day backpacking trip from Mineral King. got off the summit as a storm rolled in and didn't stop raining until the next morning. had a blast with good company.
|Posted Dec 10, 2015 1:58 pm
|SW Face
Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2015
|After all the hype about 4th class and death fall potential I found this route to be nothing but a blast! Yes, there is tons of loose rock. Yes, if you fall at the wrong place you will be in a world of hurt. But the actual climbing is never harder than class 3 if you stay on route and super solid. The looseness is only on the 2nd class sections. I would still probably call it 4th class just because of exposure, not because of technical difficulty. Overall, a fine and remote peak in a stunning location.
|Posted Sep 11, 2015 10:38 pm
|Black Kaweah
Date Climbed: Sep 7, 2014
|Amazing trip! Started from Mineral King early morning, made over both sawtooth and hands and knees passes, and down to little five lakes, so exhausting! haha
Absolutely beautiful landscape!
|Posted Jun 17, 2015 5:48 pm
|Southwest Face
Date Climbed: Sep 13, 2013
|Class 3 with sustained climbing on a complex mountain. Beautiful and remote mountain. With René Renteria from Big Arroyo.
|Posted Sep 16, 2013 7:23 pm
|Spendid Route
Date Climbed: Sep 16, 2012
|Took the standard route up and thoroughly enjoyed it. With care did not find it to be too loose. Then down and around to Red Kaweah in the afternoon.
|Posted Sep 24, 2012 1:27 pm
|SW Face
Date Climbed: Sep 17, 2010
|Absolutely perfect conditions and a wonderful solo climb! The route can indeed be kept to class 3. Had a fun 3-day trip, going in from Mineral King over Glacier and Cyclamen passes and tagging Sawtooth Peak on the way out.
|Posted Sep 21, 2010 3:43 pm
|With Red Kaweah in 24+ nonstop hours
Date Climbed: Sep 12, 2010
|Attempted dayhike of Black Kaweah and Red Kaweah in conjunction. Summited both, but exceeded 24 hours, continued nonstop, however. Summited Black Kaweah from Mineral King in 9 hours, 40 min. Then continued onto Red Kaweah.
|Posted Sep 13, 2010 9:53 pm
Date Climbed: Jul 15, 2008
|Should have signed this long ago. Did it solo. The most intimidating experience I have ever faced. During the last third of the climb I stayed left opting to delicately ascend and then traverse a craggy pinnacle rather than go up a steep slabby section where one slip would have determined my fate. It was a very meaningful experience for me. When it's clear in the San Joaquin Valley Black Kaweah is the most distinctive peak among the distant Southern Sierra. After recognizing it, Due East, from my home town (Dinuba) it beckoned me for many years before I could build up the courage to face it. I walked from Dinuba along a relatively straight route through the foothills, into Sequoia, over the Great Western Divide, and then climbed up to the Black Kaweah in 2008. I called it "A Transect - Due East." I made a suite of original lithograph prints about it which you can see in my art album here on Summit Post. Having witnessed its vast reach, the palpable impression that Black Kaweah left on me made certain that I would never lose touch with the life forces it enables for all that lies beneath it.
|Posted Jul 6, 2010 11:32 pm
|Southwest Face, stopped 80 feet below summit
Date Climbed: Sep 1, 2008
|One of the best adventures yet. We made it to within 80 feet of the summit, but were running out of daylight and probably ascended the wrong chute at the end as we encountered very precarious climbing. Left some cordalette up there from one repel we were more or less forced to do.
I will return!
|Posted Sep 20, 2008 11:17 pm
|SW Face
Date Climbed: Aug 3, 2008
|Great climbing. Hard but gorgeous way to get in.
|Posted Aug 6, 2008 6:02 pm
|Augie Medina
|Memorable Climb SW Face July 19, 2008
|Climbed this peak with a skillful, class guy, Tom Becht. Thursday, picked up our permit at Mineral King RS and it was almost 9am by the time we hoisted our packs from Sawtooth Pass trailhead. We took the "unmaintained" trail to Glacier Pass, then down to Spring Lake, then cross-country up and over Hands and Knees Pass and down into Little Five Lakes. The last leg was to Big Arroyo where we set up camp. A tough, tough haul for me, but Tom's an animal and didn't wince once while I struggled to keep up with him. Big Kaweah the next day and then this classic peak on Saturday. Our route started literally straight up the ridge above our tents. We moved past the Tarn, and then started trying to figure out a route up the SW face.
I agree with those who say you really need to concentrate hard to find a consistent 3d Class route. About half of our route was 4th Class and the exposure on this face put the pucker factor front and center. Testing holds every move is a must because rock the size of coffee table books will pull right out.
After the last chute was climbed, we hung a big right on the cat-walk ridge to the top. The ridge was much longer than I expected but great, great fun. Summit views are unmatched except perhaps by the original register (first entry 1924 and including Starr's blood entry in 1929) which we were honored to sign.
The descent was more intense than the ascent. We looked anew for a "the" 3d Class route but had no better luck than on the ascent. And this is no peak to leave your helmet at home: even careful foot placement couldn't prevent sending rocks whistling down the gullies below.
Will have to go back and get Red Kaweah methinks.
|Posted Jul 22, 2008 2:42 am
|Southwest Face
Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2008
|Awesome climb under perfect skies with a great partner, Augie. Huge scrambling difference between Black Kaweah at one end of the range and Big Kaweah at the other which we climbed the day before.
|Posted Jul 21, 2008 11:35 pm
|Southwest Face
Date Climbed: Sep 30, 2007
|15:35 roundtrip out of mineral king.
|Posted Apr 16, 2008 2:41 pm
|SW face/gully
Date Climbed: Jun 21, 2007
|Perhaps the most magnificent pile of rubble I've set foot upon. Getting to the top of this peak was exhilirating as well as quite satisfying. I'd wanted to summit this grand peak for years now. Third times the charm, I guess- a thunderstorm turned me back before Glacier Pass 2 years ago, & the SW/W ridge's atrocious rock combined with a late start, route-finding challenges, & sickening exposure repeled me the next (last) year.
After getting into Mineral King at 4.30 the night prior (morning of), & consequently only sleeping ~4 hrs, it was tedious doing the familiar approach to Big Arroyo on Friday (9:35).
Saturday morning, left at a comfortable 8.30. Moving upward on the route felt like going up a steep maze- a steep maze with sloping ledges above drop-offs loaded with unstable scree :) Though I thought I'd slept enough, altitude issues plagued me at upper elevations. Despite some route-finding challenges & aforementioned minor altitude sickness, summited at 13.58. Spent my time atop this fine summit by soaking in the magnificent views & reading the register (fascinating). Views of the Great Western Divide & the Red Kaweah were sublime.Smoke was pouring out from the substantial wildfire taking place in one of the drainages across from Moraine Lake- I could smell it! Left summit at 15.35, getting back to camp at Big Arroyo 20.12. Descent perhaps more nerve-wracking than the ascent.
7:47 from the Big Arroyo back to the trailhead the next day, including a refreshing swim & leisurely lunch at lovely Spring Lake.
While the SW face is no "technical" (i.e. 5th class) route, it requires constant focus, awareness, & diligence- one wrong move throughout much of the route & you could be in a bad place in a hurry. While a master route-finder might weave a 3rd-class route up this beast, I concur with Roper's 4th class rating for this route- while I didn't spend as much time route-finding as I could have (I frequently just took the most direct way up), I certainly encountered occasional 4th-class sections en route. I think that anyone attempting this route (or simply this mountain in general) should be comfortable with 4th class climbing & loose rock. By & large, by sticking to the obvious line(s), however, the rock is by & large solid. The biggest hazard, I would say, is the scree & rubble that adorns all the downward-sloping ledges (& handholds, footholds, ...).
|Posted Jul 23, 2007 2:10 pm
|Matthew Holliman
|SW Face
Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2006
|Dayhiked this peak with Bob and Rick. We had only one warm-up day beforehand for acclimatization, which really wasn't enough for me--but the peak was well-worth the headaches and nausea. I wanted to climb this one for a while, and I wasn't disappointed. Fine views, and some really fine scrambling too... and the register was out of this world. Truly amazing.
Got off route on the way up, finding some spicy class 4 in places, but the actual route is surprisingly easy by comparison (just class 3) if you pay attention.
|Posted Dec 1, 2006 5:14 am
|Bob Burd
|SW Face
Date Climbed: Sep 10, 2006
|With Matthew Holliman & Rick Kent, completed the first dayhike of this fine peak. Spectacular weather! Trip Report
|Posted Sep 15, 2006 2:04 am
|Route Climbed: Southwest Face (Chute) Date Climbed: September 8, 2005
|Traversed from Nine Lakes Basin to the cirque below the summit. Climbed up the Southwest Face route (chute) as mentioned in RJ's Book, very loose Class 3 and a little Class 4, should have had helmets. Three of us reached the summit!!
|Posted Sep 14, 2005 7:56 pm
|Route Climbed: S.W. Face Date Climbed: 21 Aug. 04
|It's still there, by Starr's blood.
|Posted Aug 25, 2004 4:38 pm


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1. What do you think about the honesty the boys show each other?
I thought it was nice to see that they can be honest even though they are a vampire and a wearwolf.
2. Are you surprised to see Edward admitting his jealousy and showing less patience?
I was suprised that he admitted his jealousy but not that he was showing less patience considering the situation and where he is at.
3. How did you feel about Edward's four options regarding Bella?
I thought it was the best option.
4. What surprised you most about the conversation they had?
How honest they were with eatch other.


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Pics from the *good* game at Yankee Stadium
I started writing this entry on Sunday, when score was 11-0–and not the good kind of 11-0–in the 4th inning (for reals? 4th??) of the rubber game of the Mets-Yankees subway series. Then it got worse. I typed "brb" to the blog and went into the kitchen to stick my head in the oven.
But now it's Tuesday. The oven door is firmly shut. A new series is just starting literally right now. Come on Big Pelf! Let's go, Metsies! And as for the subway series, we'll focus on Saturday's game, shall we? Thankfully, that's the one I saw in person, a crisp, rainy, and yet wonderful Saturday at Yankee Stadium with Pick Me Up Some Mets friend, Eric. Click here to see all the pics from Yankee Stadium, where Eric and I got into not one single fight with opposing fans–but that didn't stop the Mets fans around us. Oh we saw some doozies. Apparently we were in the beligerent section–wayyyyy in left field, 4th row from the back. Really, we could almost touch the very back of the very top of the stadium. But we didn't. You know, 'cause of Yankees cooties.
But we were sheltered from the rain, and in truth the seats were total fun. I really like the way the field is laid out, with broad tiered sections that surprisingly must give lots of great seats, since ours were some of the worst and we liked 'em just fine. The rest of the ballpark? I mean, it's okay. I don't dislike it. It's just…well, in truth, it's not all that special.
We entered into the great hall entrance, with the banners and the high ceilings and the feeling of nice, airy space. Okay, I can dig it. But hey, Yankee Stadium, what's with your tons of tiny cramped concrete industrial looking hallways? We kept thinking we were in the areas that were supposed to be behind the scenes, like the hallways at Shea that led to the broadcast booth, past the Diamond Club.
Our first stop, and our first narrow hallway, led to Monument Park (expect a line). And Monument Park is fine–it's historic, it's all bronzy, has some flowers, some stately brick and granite going on, it's perfectly nice. But I don't think we were blown away. Still, it's a necessary photo op. I gotta say, though, those bronze likenesses are just not the most flattering. Every forehead crease looks deeper, and what's with those creepy looking bronze teeth? But it's a fun little stop. I posed with Babe Ruth and Casey Stengel, and Lou Gehrig seems to flatter Eric, no? (I think he really just wanted a pic with the dude in white.)
As for the below, I never thought I'd see Coop and I posing with pictures of Yankees in the background!
Despite what happened the game before…and the game after…Saturday's game was really quite fun, with Fernando Nieve earning a standing ovation, going longer and stronger than anyone expected. And with a very unblown save by K-Rod, followed by his signature raised arms.
And okay, fine. Maybe Eric and I punched out one little Yankee. But don't feel bad for the creepy statue. I totally punch like a girl.


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text: It would still be ironic (for want of a better descriptor, satirical would probably be better), its status as irony is not dependent upon other people understanding it as such. It was a poor choice only insomuch as plenty of people mistake it for bigotry on the part of Knopfler, when it is quite the opposite. But that sort of blowback is something artists have to deal with all the time, unfortunately the world is full of stupid people who care more about the words themselves than why and how they are used, and prefer to react hysterically rather than stop and consider what they are reacting to. As an artist, Knopfler is more than entitled not to give a shit about those people. Roger Taylor of Queen had a similar problem with media outlets refusing to play or stock his anti-fascist song "Nazis", because he called it, wait for it, "Nazis". The horror.


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Environmental degradation, climate change, and increased urbanisation, mobility and migration all influence public health,[1][2] for example by raising the risk of the global transfer of infectious disease and exposing people to environmental hazards (GMTs 1, 2, 8, 10).[3][4] Elderly and poor people are particularly vulnerable.
Environmental health risks include particulate matter; ozone; indoor air pollution; unsafe water and sanitation; contamination from waste, including from research activities; exposure to chemicals, lead, mercury and other heavy metals;[3][5] and noise. Overall, 24 % of the global burden of disease and 23 % of premature deaths are attributable to environmental causes.[6] Urban air pollution, especially ambient particulate matter and ozone, are set to become the main environmental cause of mortality worldwide by 2050.[7][8] The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) forecasts that the number of premature deaths from exposure to particulate matter in urban areas could more than double to 3.6 billion in 2050, most in China and India. Premature deaths from indoor air pollution, however, are likely to fall in coming years.[6] Ozone has a marked effect on human health (Figure 1) and is the most damaging air pollutant to vegetation, including crops.
Although economic growth and improved social conditions have reduced poverty, improved nutrition and widened access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and education, they have encouraged unhealthy lifestyles in the developed world and increasingly among the developing world's rapidly growing middle class. As a result, non-communicable disease (NCD) and medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, mental disorders and obesity, now outweigh communicable ones.[9]
By 2011, global average life expectancy reached 70 in 2011[12][13] and is expected to rise to 75 by 2045–2050 (GMT 1).[10] Older people, however, are more vulnerable to environmental hazards, spend more years living with injury and illness[11] and are susceptible to conditions of ageing, notably dementia.
Economic inequality, poverty and food insecurity continue to affect health outcomes and shorten lives within and across countries. Today 1.2 billion people still live in extreme poverty while in 2011–2013, 842 million peoples did not get enough food to live active lives.[14][15]
Rapid technological development creates both benefits and risks. Health services have and will benefit from bio-, nano- and information technologies (GMT 4), but their novelty means that the effects of their application on human and ecosystem health are little understood. Their wastes and emissions are of particular concern – for example, while the individual effects of the increasing number of chemicals, including pesticides, are relatively well-known, their impacts in combination remain largely unknown.[4]
Source: OECD environmental outlook to 2050 - [a] and [b]
Note: BRIICS countries are: Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China, South Africa
Growing antibiotic resistance, partly due to evolution though overuse and over prescription, and the widespread use of antibiotics in intensive animal rearing are also culpable, is increasingly of concern, but research is lagging.[4][16] Concerns exist over the profitability of developing narrow-, rather than broad-spectrum drugs, and of a rich-country bias preventing medical spending that benefits the developing world.
Competition for global resources is expected to indirectly impact health. Continued exploitation of global fish stocks, for example, and increased ocean acidification could remove this critical food source from vulnerable populations – marine fish currently provide 6 % of global protein (GMTs 9, 10).[17]
Non-communicable disease. In 2008, NCDs accounted for 36 million premature deaths, and are likely to cause 55 million by 2030.[18] Long predominant in developed countries, NCDs became the leading disease burden in developing countries in 2010 (Figure 3). Cardiovascular disease and cancers are the biggest cause of mortality worldwide[19] and diabetes, to which the socially disadvantaged are most vulnerable, is projected to affect 471 million by 2035.[20] Senile dementia currently affects 44 million people and is projected to rise to 135 million worldwide by 2050, with 96 million of them in developing countries.[21]
Lifestyle NCDs are increasing but are preventable – tobacco accounts for almost 6 million premature deaths a year, projected to rise to 8 million by 2030; around 3.2 million annually are attributable to insufficient physical activity and about 1.7 million to low fruit and vegetable consumption.[22]
Currently 10 % of the world's adults are obese, and, in 2012, more than 40 million children under the age of 5 were either overweight or obese. In developing countries with emerging economies, particularly in urban areas, the rate of increase in these problems is 30 % higher than in developed ones.[23]
Communicable disease. In spite of the ongoing decline of communicable diseases (Figure 2), they still pose a significant threat to human health and international health security, especially in developing countries.[26] Even in developed countries, communicable diseases have not been completely eradicated, and in some cases their incidence is growing, mainly due to the emergence of drug-resistant disease strains. For example, tuberculosis has re-emerged in some developed countries where it had historically been reduced to very low levels.[27] In 2012, 8.6 million people globally were living with tuberculosis, and 1.3 million people died from it. In the same year, there were 35.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, and 1.7 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses, including 230 000 children. Due to better access to therapy, the number of new HIV infections and deaths due to AIDS is decreasing globally, while the number of people living with HIV/AIDS is increasing.[28]
HIV/AIDS has received much attention in the developing world, but many developing countries face 'neglected tropical diseases', a group of parasitic and bacterial diseases such as dengue and leprosy. Vaccination programmes and other health responses for these diseases do exist, but they are often poorly and inadequately administered. Additionally, several contagious diseases persist despite the availability of an effective vaccine for over 50 years. One example is measles, a highly contagious disease that remains one of the leading causes of death among young children, particularly in developing countries.
Source: IHME Global health data exchange database (left panel); WHO Global health estimates - [c] and [d] (right panel)
Note: DALY refers to Disability Adjusted Life Years, defined by WHO as "the sum of Years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and the years of productive life lost due to disability".
Pandemics. Some infections have the potential to cause pandemics – made more likely by high levels of international travel and migration;[29] the ability of some viruses to mutate rapidly and jump from animals to humans; and antibiotic resistance.[30] The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the world is 'ill-prepared to respond to severe pandemics … threatening public health emergency'.[31]
Health inequalities. Although life expectancy and health have improved globally over the last decades, significant differences still exist between and within countries, urban and rural areas, and different income-level groups. Indeed, about 75 % of all premature deaths in 2010 occurred in developing countries.[4]
Health care services also vary: there are 33 physicians per 10 000 people in Europe, 5.5 in southeast Asia and 2.5 in Africa. The high cost of medical care is another cause for concern – WHO suggests that around 150 million people face financial ruin each year from having to pay for medical services.[32]
Changes in disease burden could strain health systems and costs, deepen inequalities and increase poverty. If current demographic, urbanisation and health trends continue (GMTs 1, 2) developing countries will have to deal with a multiple burden of NCDs, communicable disease and pandemics, especially in slums of burgeoning urban areas.[33]
The finances of developing countries may be threatened by NCDs – in countries in all income groups, productivity losses from NCDs are already greater than public health spending. In 2013, WHO warned that business-as-usual will increase productivity losses and health care costs everywhere, with the cost of inaction far outweighing that of taking action.[7][33]
In developed countries, costs related to ageing populations and health could increase fiscal pressure and affect social cohesion and well-being (GMT 1).[34]
An integrated approach to health encompassing health inequalities, social, economic and environmental factors is key. Both WHO[33] and the United Nation Development Programme[35] agree that improving human development requires increased investment in health as well as infrastructure, education, and governance.
With more than 70 % of people projected to live in cities by 2050, good governance in urban areas will benefit both the environment and public health.[3] In rural areas, the interactions of wildlife, domesticated animals and human health pose growing risks of disease, which should be tackled by addressing the connections between them and ecosystem health.[36]
European countries improved public health in recent decades, and have relatively strong social safety nets and public healthcare systems. Nonetheless, significant health inequalities remain within and across countries – and have increased since 2006[37], with poor families disproportionally affected by the recent economic crises.[4] In Europe, including Russia, NCDs cause 86 % of premature deaths,[38] with ambient air and noise pollution and antibiotic resistance of particular concern.[3][39]
The health impacts of climate change are of particular concern for the elderly and vulnerable[40] while rising temperatures are also likely to bring new vector-borne diseases.[4] These factors, coupled with the increasing cost of long-term care and the decline in informal care for the elderly, threaten the affordability of technical advances, unless the EU addresses the underlying causes of ill health, including the influence of an ageing population, globalisation and environmental degradation.[4][36][41]]]>


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The "winners" then tell the "messenger" to go up to a random person in the bar, and the only words that they're allowed to say to the person is "You're a c*nt!". They are NOT ALLOWED to say why they are doing it, or apologize.
The most fun ensues when the "winners" send the "messengers" to the same person in the pub over and over. Fun for all of the family.


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The sheriff's department said Friday that Haley Marie Sullivan, 26, of Salesville and Brandy Mae Qualls, 23, of Lone Rock were returned to custody after hospital treatment Thursday evening.
Officials say the bleach was on a cleaning cart that inmates use to clean their housing area. The department said it's unclear why the women drank the bleach. Other inmates alerted jailers when the women became ill.
Both were transferred to a contracted facility of the Arkansas State Hospital for screening and further evaluation.
Qualls was held for failure to appear and Sullivan was held on forgery and theft charges.


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Friday December 9, 2011
Sinead O'Connor has married her fourth husband in a "drive-thru wedding" in Las Vegas on her 45th birthday.
The Nothing Compares 2 U singer spoke to The Irish Independent at Dublin Airport just before jetting off to tie the knot.
She met the groom – 38-year-old therapist Barry Herridge – three months ago on-line.
Sinead said: "Myself and Barry decided to get married in Las Vegas because we wanted a proper rock 'n' roll wedding.
"I've been married before, but I've never had my dream wedding in Vegas.
"I wanted to do it there because it's casual, quick, not religious and, most of all, very romantic."
The mother-of-four describing her excitement on receiving Barry's initial email.
"It just took my heart away. It had to be him."
Sinead posted a picture on her blog of herself and Barry at the airport.
She promised to update fans with pictures of her "absolute dream wedding ceremony" and declared herself a "very happy girl".
Photo: © Splash


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Why I buy my craft supplies at thrift stores
Less Expensive Hobby and Craft Supplies
>by Christine Stephens
Related Articles
How to Sell Your Crafts
Organizing Craft Supplies
Crafting Without Spending Money
Affordable craft supplies got much harder to find when Wal-Mart dropped fabric and needle work supplies, but there is a solution. A hit-and-miss collection of treasures can sometimes be found at your local thrift stores.
First, thrift stores are the recipients of many estate and garage sale craft supplies. They also see many more treasures of the truly too busy who purchased craft supplies yet never got around to start their project.
These treasures include new skeins of expensive yarn. A whole gallon-sized bag of DMC cross-stitch floss. Big pieces of Aida cloth, plastic canvas, and ribbon can be had. Many stores even offer kits; some may have just been opened and forgotten. Many thrift stores have a good collection of sewing patterns too. Even tools, such as crochet, latch hook and knitting needles, can often be found in thrift stores for less than one-third of discount store prices. There's no guarantee you'll find what you need in unopened packaging, but it can and does happen.
Second, thrift stores are wonderful sources of recycled materials. Where else can someone find two yards of faux leather for $5, a complete set of drapes big enough to recover your dining room chairs, tons of bed sheet cotton in any color and yards and yards of flannel for $2 a sheet? For the truly experienced crafter, there are endless sweaters to recycle for crochet and knitting projects.
Most thrift stores offer sale days where certain items are discounted. One chain of stores offers Outlet Centers where one can pick up recycled materials by the pound for reuse in your next project or maybe home crafting business.
Thirdly, thrift stores are also excellent sources of used furniture. Any experienced refinisher can spot a laminate or real wood treasure from 20 yards. Laminate isn't an option for a stripping job but makes a wonderful surface to paint once thoroughly cleaned and lightly sanded. A quick scan of the Internet will list a wonderful variety of faux paint effects that can be cheaply reproduced. Real wood furniture has endless finish possibilities and is truly a treasure. Upholstered furniture items can be easily reupholstered with a little self-study of library materials on the subject. Dining room chairs are a wonderful first project. Then work your way up to redoing chair cushions and making slip covers. The same thrift store can be a wonderful source of recycled curtains, drapes, and expensive sheet sets that provide more than adequate materials for just a few dollars.
Fourth, every crafter needs a place to work and store materials. As spare room varies greatly from crafter to crafter, one may start with a shoe organizer on the back of a door, a tackle box, and a plastic storage container all purchased at the thrift store. A crafter with more space can find recycled shelving, plastic storage boxes, tackle boxes, and desks at the same thrift stores to outfit their crafting area.
Despite the scarcity of affordable craft supplies and equipment in some towns, thrift stores remain an excellent source of materials, supplies, equipment, and craft room furnishings for people in any town or city.
Christine Stephens is a single, frugal woman living in the Midwest. She graduated from the Elliott School of Communication with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Print Journalism. She has been a devoted Dollar Stretcher reader for eight years. She enjoys the hobby of needlework with second-hand materials, supplies, and equipment.
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