Leading from the front issuu

Justice Action is a not-for-profit
community organisation in Sydney,
Australia, focusing on abuses of
authority in the criminal justice and
mental health systems, with Brett
supported by a team of student
interns.
A STALWART
COMRADE,
BRINGING ENERGY
& SPIRIT
by brett collins
co-ordinator,
justice action
Pat and I have spent lovely and very productive times
together. I love his statement that he would crawl over
broken glass to get to the London ICOPA. He always is
a stalwart comrade, bringing energy and spirit that engenders
others to do more than they thought themselves
capable.
At times he has arrived in Sydney when I was exhausted
from my work, and his presence brought more
grounding to my effort that allowed me to fire up once
again.
We have drunk beers from Bondi to Toronto to Auckland
to Trinidad to Tasmania and always celebrated with
Pat’s generosity of spirit.
TWO
PEACEMAKERS
TOGETHER
by hal pepinski,
atlanta, usa
”As yet,
forgiveness is
not in our
culture.”
“Great times in ICOPA togetherlove
and peace, Pat.”
Hal is Professsor Emeritus, Department of Criminal
Justice at the Indiana University Bloomington. Trained
in law, sociology and Chinese, Hal has spent most of
his academic career describing crime and violence,
their roots, their antitheses, and the ways in which
people can, and do, make peace.
HAL’S MESSSAGE TO PAT: “Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does
not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight
in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Corinthians,
chapter 13, verse.
Top left: Justice Action meeting with Mental Health Commission, NSW, discussing disrespect for consumers in forced medication.
Brett is on the right; Right: Famous quote by Nils Christie; Peace dove. Photo Nowshad Arefin.
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Restorative Justice – for an unjust justice system