Finally, here in part 3 are IIRP president Ted Wachtel's brief remarks Sunday, in which he calls for a "restorative revolution." We welcome comments and discussion on this theme.
Ted Wachtel delivering remarks at IIRP accreditation celebrationThanks. Thanks to Dr. Brosnan for his kind words. Thanks to all of the staff who put together this event. And thanks to all of you for coming. I want to speak very briefly about the mission of the IIRP: to improve human behavior and civil society.
The industrial revolution of the last two centuries brought us dramatic improvements in technology and made us very powerful. But it seems that our technological skills have outpaced our social skills. We still struggle with managing conflict. And restorative practices has the potential to help.
That’s not a utopian or naïve statement. It’s a fact. We have the data, we have the evidence to prove it. When we go into even the most challenging schools, violence, bullying and misbehavior decrease dramatically. Working with delinquent and at-risk youth we have more than halved offending. We’ve even had recent success in improving behavior in college residence halls.
So what we’re suggesting is another revolution, a change in the way we do things. It’s a restorative revolution. And I thank you for your support in helping to move it forward.
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Read Part 1 with IIRP alumna Sharon Mast's remarks here.
Read Part 2 with Dr. Joseph Brosnan's remarks here.
