MORAN CENTER RELEASES PANEL RECORDING ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Conversation with Restorative Judges Who Are Reshaping Justice
Now Available for the Public
Evanston, Illinois–On November 22, the Moran Center for Youth Advocacy hosted a virtual panel featuring four Chicago-area judges who have presided over Restorative Justice Courts and/or widely promoted the practice: Judge Sophia H. Hall, Judge Martha A Mills (Retired), Judge Sheila M. Murphy (Retired), and Judge Patricia S. Pratt. The panel, which was presented to an exclusive list of area stakeholders in the legal and social services sectors, was received enthusiastically, and the Moran Center recently posted the recording of the panel for the public to view.
In the panel discussion, the Judges described how they work and have worked with their communities to embed restorative philosophy and practice into their court practices, and shared their perspectives about the transformative power of restorative justice. Biographies for the featured panelists are also available on the Moran Center’s website. The panel was moderated by the Moran Center’s Restorative Justice Manager Pamela Cytrynbaum and Community Engagement Specialist Raymond Lackey.
Executive Director Patrick Keenan-Devlin said, “We’ve come to recognize at the Moran Center that as attorneys and social workers we’re only bandaids on systemic, gaping wounds. If we really want to transform our community and make a real change in the criminal legal system, everyone needs to be a part of it, and that is where restorative justice comes in. And these judges are truly leading the way.”
The program was presented by the Roger Pascal Restorative Justice Initiative, named for the late Schiff Hardin Partner and long-time Moran Center Board Member Roger Pascal, a tireless supporter of justice and civil liberties.
Since its founding in 1981, the Moran Center has been a champion for thousands of disinvested youth and families. Our holistic, healing-centered, client-driven approach advances our vision of a more just, racially equitable, and restorative society. For additional information, please visit our website at moran-center.org.
-end-
