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Riots and Restorative Justice with Dr. Theo Gavrielides

May 08, 2012

The 2012 Bruce and Lis Welch Community Dialogue featured Dr. Theo Gavrielides, an expert on the role of restorative justice. 

Dr. Gavrielides drew parallels between the London riots of Summer 2011 and the Vancouver Stanley Cup playoff riot to explore whether restorative justice could be applied in the Vancouver and Canadian context, both to provide victims with a better sense of reparation and closure, and to reduce the risk of re-offense.

The three-day program, May 8-10, engaged broadly with the community to increase public awareness and explore with policy-makers practical opportunities to implement restorative justice. The resulting Community Impact Report provides detailed information about the visit’s outcomes.

About Dr. Theo Gavrielides

 is a UK-based expert in Restorative Justice and human rights, and is currently conducting pioneering research into the application of Restorative Justice in response to riots. He is the founder and director of the international think-tank IARS, a charity with a mission to give everyone a chance to forge a safer, fairer and more inclusive society. Dr. Gavrielides is widely published and holds academic affiliations with universities in Britain, Europe, and North America.

Events

  • Public lecture, providing insights into how restorative justice was proposed and implemented after Britain’s August 2011 riots. Download slides here.
  • Invitational dialogue hosted by the Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice, prompting a lively and deep exchange among 65 key stakeholders, including the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and Vancouver Police Board.
  • Meetings with policy-makers, including the BC Ministry of Justice, Correctional Services Canada, and Geoff Cowper, QC, who was charged with responding to BC's Green Paper on Justice Reform.
  • Book launch for "Rights and Restoration within Youth Justice" by Theo Gavrielides, which included a short talk and book signing.

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ABOUT THE BRUCE AND LIS WELCH COMMUNITY DIALOGUE

Exploring critical community issues through dialogue, this annual programming engages the community at large with the academic community to explore innovative approaches to local issues through cross-sectoral dialogue.