Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice

This was a super intriguing book. It mixes theology and the restorative justice approach so well and speaks volumes to what we should do more of in America!

This is a must read for anyone interested in the criminal justice system, and how it can better serve true justice by moving from the current retributive model to a restorative one. I think so highly of this work that I keep extra copies on hand to give to others.

Changing Lenses is a profound, insightful read that is a must for those whose concern and passion is in social justice. This book cannot be ignored in the field and I trust will help give guidance for the kind of creative change that needs to be considered in our present justice system.

Restorative justice is a different way of seeing, and changing lenses is a perfect way to understand a new/old way to deal with the harmed and those who have harmed. Thank you!

Great price and quality! Really made me look at things differently.

Purchased for someone else however I have read it and give it an A+ rating.

An easy read for understanding restorative justice.

This book was handed to my by the religious leader of my church after a discussion regarding my son's legal problems.In this book Zehr takes issue with the current system, which many claim is based on the Old Testament of the Bible. He views the criminal justice system as one which has been built on retributive justice. This system is built on retribution, the "eye for an eye" viewpoint. Zehr raises several substantial questions:Is the retribution system working as a deterrent to crime?Is the retribution system truly in line with the ideas of the Bible -- both Old and New Testaments?Does the retribution system really help the victim?Does "punishment" really rehabilitate the offender?Moving forward Zehr then talks about a restorative system of justice. This system of justice is more akin to our civil courts than our criminal courts. Rather than being a crime against the state, the action of the offender is regarded as a crime against a person. Both victim and offender see each other. If done well, both victim and offender come to know each other as people, not just faceless stereotypes. This step alone can make a huge difference. For the victim, it's a chance to express his or her sense of violation. For the offender, it's a chance to understand that he or she hurt a person, not just the owner of a house that he or she ripped off.Zehr realizes that he is wrestling with a utopian ideal. Restorative justice is far easier for us to accord to those who have done crimes such as burglary (unless you have been a victim of one and understand how violating the event can be). But what about the more brutal crimes of rape, child molestation or murder? Zehr believes the system needs substantial revamping in these ways as well, but acknowledges it is a much more difficult solution.Food for thought.

Although I have felt passionate about restorative justice for many years I had not come across this book before. I was delighted when it arrived promptly. It is a very thorough and illuminating analysis of the principle of restorative justice and of the several different ways it has been applied. The author exposes the inadequacy of systems of justice based purely on the Western philosophical/penal tradition and opens up new insights on virtually every page. I learnt a lot about the effectiveness of restorative justice in enabling both the victim and the offender to come to terms with one another and move on. What particularly struck me was the author's concern to explore new ways to help offenders move on. I thoroughly recommend this book as a very comprehensive but relatively brief introduction to one of the most important developments in justice. It ruthlessly exposes the inadequacies of existing systems and clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the new thinking.b

wonderful book and easy reading ! shipping was incredibly quick ! love this book !