What's Next For Me?

This is the last blog entry I am required to post for my internship.  I hope, however, that time will allow me to add new posts off and on as there are a lot more stories I would like to tell about my adventures in Northern Ireland.

So what’s next?  What stood out for me that I may wish to pursue in the future?

During my internship, I came to learn about a practice that I find deeply disturbing.  They call it “intimidation,” and it includes death threats, forced exile, punishment beatings, and punishment shootings, primarily directed at young men believed to be excessively unruly.  There is a lot of secrecy surrounding this practice (in spite of the fact that everyone knows it occurs), which makes it difficult to find out exactly what is involved and what can or should be done to stop it.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak confidentially with a number of individuals about their knowledge, understanding, and perspective on the practice, none of which I can disclose here.  I did my best to keep my mind open so I could truly hear each of the individuals’ stories, but I also know that nothing I heard convinced me that intimidation is an appropriate way to discipline anyone.

As I begin my thesis research working with middle school students, I will no doubt allow myself to stop dwelling on the problem of intimidation.  But I also know that, when the time is right, I will continue working to understand and eliminate the practice.  For now, I am hoping that between my upcoming class in restorative justice at the Oregon State Penitentiary, and the work that I will be doing with a hundred sixth graders, I will gain additional knowledge and insights on how best to help Northern Ireland find better, more restorative ways to work with their unruly youth.