Plead or go to trial? You may have more options. Lawyers representing youth charged with crimes may learn more about restorative justice, restorative practices and mediation by attending an upcoming virtual workshop, part of West Virginia Public Defender’s 2022 boot camp.

What are our legal rights at work in West Virginia? When we work for someone else, a person, a company, or the government, for wages we have certain rights. Generally, they fall into categories of payment of wages, benefits, a safe work environment, a right to organize, and the obligation of the employer to refrain from discriminatory actions.

Restorative Justice is a way of looking at wrong doing through a new lens. Rather than focusing on rules and sanctions, turning to wrongdoing and healing. One of the most familiar processes associated with restorative justice is a facilitated conference between an offender who has accepted responsibility for wrongdoing and a victim who wants to participate in such a process. Another process associated with restorative justice is the talking circle where the participants in a process sit in a circle and discuss ideas suggested by the facilitator, or the keeper of the circle. This process allows for all participants to have the opportunity to participate in the discussion equally. Talking circles also maximize opportunities for listening.

“I just want to know why they did this….and for them to say that they are sorry.” In the late 1990s victims of crimes often expressed these basic needs to me during my work as an assistant prosecutor. But while I could prosecute offenders and obtain convictions, I could not give victims these two things.

Around the same time, I first learned about “restorative justice” – a different way to address criminal wrongdoing. For example, restorative justice facilitates meetings between criminal and victim. While this then-new approach appeared to provide greater potential for victims to have their needs met, I was skeptical at first. I was concerned that introducing such techniques might result in making things easier for the offender, or would not adequately protect the victim.

Covid-19 vaccinations may be required by businesses and employers. Schools are suggesting that they may require students to have a vaccination. In this article, we address-can they do that?