Gangs and Restorative justice

This is written by Jordan's mum  February 18, 2010
Its public so I think it's ok to share it again - personally i do not want her words lost in the internet highways and byways so this is what Jordan's mum has to say on gangs - restorative justice -and the murder of her son Jordan Herewini.

After losing a son, barely 16, to senseless, brutal murder (murder is mostly senseless and brutal), a lot of things that were once ‘political’ are now intensely personal. Restorative justice? There’s nothing to restore. Can it bring back my son? Jordan’s murderer was not part of my ‘community’ and I have no wish to be around gang members. Of course he has shown absolutely no remorse – quite the opposite. He and his supporters have shown nothing but contempt. The comment by ahurewa is right. They are laughing at us. They think it’s funny that my son is dead. According to one of them he “shouldn’t have got in the way”. In the way of what? A murderous rampage? They brag about it in the public gallery in court. But of course the murderer is pleading not guilty. They are pathetic. They do act like children – extremely dysfunctional children – and their mentality is just staggering.

The ‘justice’ system won’t be able to punish this man, or the others involved in Jordan’s murder. Prison is part of their lives. A second home. So yes, use all the forces available to wipe them off. Let’s start again with some decent social policy so the children of today don’t become the gangs of tomorrow. It’s too late for the seasoned gang members now. Especially the ones of this particular gang who thought nothing of cruelly taking a young life they knew nothing about.

Are some gangs ‘better’ than others? Maybe there are degrees. But a gang can’t exist without a rival, a ‘demonic other’. So red is pitted against blue and yellow. Good grief, save us all. It is more understandable when you see children acting this way. But these grown men? Why do we have to wait until they’re in their 50s or 60s and too tired and jaded to fight anymore or until they find god? They need dealing with now. And so do the teenage boys who are heading to join their ranks.

But no, we’ll have to wait until there’s another murder, where there will be more hand-wringing by politicians and members of the public who don’t have to live anywhere near the spectre of gangs. Then nothing will happen. Where are the new policies? Why aren’t the police using the powers they already have? Too hard basket.

Actually, there was another gang-related murder. A 17-year-old was murdered in Murupara in October last year, in the name of ‘red’ and ‘yellow’. Following that there was an attempt at the local level to send a message that violence was unacceptable. Anything at the governmental level? Still waiting. Are these boys’ lives not valued because they happened to be in small, seemingly ‘dysfunctional’ towns that just don’t register with the nation until something bad happens? Because they happened to be Maori and were seen to be involved in gangs themselves, therefore, hey, sad, but was to be expected? Jordan was not a gang member, nor a prospect. As far as I know, neither was the other boy who was murdered. They had futures – ones that didn’t involve gangs. Now they’re forever consigned, in the public imagination, to ‘gang-related fatalities’.