"Will the Circle Be Unbroken?": Aboriginal Communities, Restorative Justice, and the Challenges of Conflict and Change

Susan Manitowabi is an assistant professor of Native Human Services at
Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario.

For Aboriginal people, the concept of the circle implies completeness,
harmony, balance, and a continuous journey. “Will the Circle Be
Unbroken?” examines the restorative justice movement in Aboriginal
communities and seeks to answer the question of whether the problems
that led to the current pattern of conflict and overrepresentation can
be remedied. Restorative justice is seen by many as being congruent with
Aboriginal world views, as a means of dealing with the high rates of
Aboriginal involvement with the criminal justice system, and as having
the ability to heal the social ills of Aboriginal communities.

In their examination of the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people
within the Canadian criminal justice system, the authors raise questions
about the effectiveness of reforms such as the indigenization of
programs, cultural sensitivity training, and cross-cultural training.
They examine the challenges faced by these programs (such as defining
what community is) and conclude that the potential is there for
Aboriginal communities to develop sound restorative justice programs
provided they receive support and commitment in terms of sustained
funding, realistic and informed policy, and critical evaluation.

This book provides a solid framework for those not familiar with
restorative justice programs or issues around Aboriginal incarceration.
It also provides food for thought for those considering working with
Aboriginal offenders or developing restorative justice programs.