Ellen O'Brien

Ellen O’Brien is a writer, poet and law graduate living and working on Gadigal and Wangal land, with Guringai ancestry. She is interested in discussions about the meaning of home, community, and the healing power of love.

Articles by Ellen O'Brien:

16 May 20172 June 2017 · Justice

Beyond prison

Ellen O'Brien

Transformative justice acknowledges both the harm and violence caused by individuals upon one another, as well as the harm and violence inflicted upon individuals by prisons and structural factors, that can cause social isolation and may contribute to harmful behaviour. Rather than isolating and punishing the person who has caused harm, a transformative justice approach asks, on both an individual and structural level: Who was harmed? How can we facilitate healing? How can we prevent further harm in the future?