2008 Woodie Awards
A modest proposal for justice and community at Clarkson University
Chris Robinson and Bruce Brydges
Issue date: 12/4/06 Section: Opinion
Contrary to the questions and teachings of Socrates, there is no single way to define justice. This lack of universal meaning should not be regarded as a problem; it is better thought of as an opportunity or opening for creativity. In both American society and on this campus, justice usually entails inquests, due process, an adversarial system, verdicts, and punishments. This system is fair, but it is not the only way or even the best way to achieve justice.
One possible alternative is a process that achieves what is called "restorative justice." Recently, some members and recruits of the Men's Rugby Team were charged in a break-in at the Potsdam Fire Department. We've had a number of instances of bad behavior in public, vandalism, and thefts that made their way into The Integrator and the local media. The usual way of responding to such instances is to have a hearing. Students are then punished with fines or with exclusion from campus activities or the campus itself. This kind of inquiry and punishment may, in the end, teach the student who broke a rule not to repeat the offense, but it misses the communal dimension of that offense.
What we have at Clarkson is an ideal setting for a rich communal life. Our campus is small, beautiful, and populated by smart and caring people. We lead privileged lives dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. There should be a justice system in place charged with the goal of protecting and enhancing this community. When a member of Clarkson commits an offense, the community suffers. Even those members of the Rugby Team who learned of the break-in on the news will suffer the consequences of the actions of their teammates, just as innocent and responsible members of Greek Life must accept responsibility for the offenses of their fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. Recognizing our responsibility for one another is the first step toward restorative justice.
The second is to devise a new student judiciary. One composed of six students, one from each class, one at large, and one graduate student, would be our suggestion. These students should not think of themselves as judges, but as representatives of the community. Their main task will be to convene assemblies when a fellow student has committed a non-violent infraction such as property damage or a violation of campus rules. These assemblies will include not only the members of the judiciary and the student, but also all those who have been affected by the student's action. For example, this past fall, a small group of students from the Clarkson School were involved in setting off a smoke machine in their dormitory resulting in a fire alarm. The fire department was deployed and hundreds of faculty, staff, and students were forced out into the cold and rain for the better part of an hour. The students responsible were required to hear from representatives of those affected by the alarm. They heard from the staff and fellow students how the event was an inconvenience and a source of embarrassment to the Clarkson School. A member of the local fire department related how many firefighters are killed and injured each year responding to alarms. The students heard and were able to begin to appreciate the consequences of their prank. In this case, punishment was designed to restore the communal trust effaced by this thoughtless act. In forums devoted to restorative justice, punishment is not delivered in the form of a verdict. The point of a hearing is to re-integrate the student back into the community. Punishment is restitution in the form of service and it works to remind us all of how important we are to the good of this community.
Restorative justice works to mend a broken world in places like South Africa and Rwanda. It is a part of a growing movement on American college and university campuses. With some work and commitment, the creation of a student judiciary dedicated to the principles of restorative justice could lead to an embellishment of our greatest strength: the intimate and compassionate climate of the Clarkson campus.
One possible alternative is a process that achieves what is called "restorative justice." Recently, some members and recruits of the Men's Rugby Team were charged in a break-in at the Potsdam Fire Department. We've had a number of instances of bad behavior in public, vandalism, and thefts that made their way into The Integrator and the local media. The usual way of responding to such instances is to have a hearing. Students are then punished with fines or with exclusion from campus activities or the campus itself. This kind of inquiry and punishment may, in the end, teach the student who broke a rule not to repeat the offense, but it misses the communal dimension of that offense.
What we have at Clarkson is an ideal setting for a rich communal life. Our campus is small, beautiful, and populated by smart and caring people. We lead privileged lives dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. There should be a justice system in place charged with the goal of protecting and enhancing this community. When a member of Clarkson commits an offense, the community suffers. Even those members of the Rugby Team who learned of the break-in on the news will suffer the consequences of the actions of their teammates, just as innocent and responsible members of Greek Life must accept responsibility for the offenses of their fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. Recognizing our responsibility for one another is the first step toward restorative justice.
The second is to devise a new student judiciary. One composed of six students, one from each class, one at large, and one graduate student, would be our suggestion. These students should not think of themselves as judges, but as representatives of the community. Their main task will be to convene assemblies when a fellow student has committed a non-violent infraction such as property damage or a violation of campus rules. These assemblies will include not only the members of the judiciary and the student, but also all those who have been affected by the student's action. For example, this past fall, a small group of students from the Clarkson School were involved in setting off a smoke machine in their dormitory resulting in a fire alarm. The fire department was deployed and hundreds of faculty, staff, and students were forced out into the cold and rain for the better part of an hour. The students responsible were required to hear from representatives of those affected by the alarm. They heard from the staff and fellow students how the event was an inconvenience and a source of embarrassment to the Clarkson School. A member of the local fire department related how many firefighters are killed and injured each year responding to alarms. The students heard and were able to begin to appreciate the consequences of their prank. In this case, punishment was designed to restore the communal trust effaced by this thoughtless act. In forums devoted to restorative justice, punishment is not delivered in the form of a verdict. The point of a hearing is to re-integrate the student back into the community. Punishment is restitution in the form of service and it works to remind us all of how important we are to the good of this community.
Restorative justice works to mend a broken world in places like South Africa and Rwanda. It is a part of a growing movement on American college and university campuses. With some work and commitment, the creation of a student judiciary dedicated to the principles of restorative justice could lead to an embellishment of our greatest strength: the intimate and compassionate climate of the Clarkson campus.
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