READING AND SPEAKING The victim meets the burglar 1 Have you or anyone you know ever been the victim of a erime? Discuss the questions. + What happened? + Were the pokes involed? + Was the rina rested? 2 There is an organization called the Restorative Justice Consortium Whrings together criminals and their victims, + What do yeu think ithopes to achieve by this? + What might tha victim ofa rime have 952 + What might the criminal earn? 3. Read the headlines and the introduction to the newspaper article. How do you think the burglar and the victim became friends? 4 Work in two groups. Group A Read about the victim. Group B_ Read about the robber. ‘Answer the questions ‘What personal details do you learn? (name, age, backgroud ..) ‘What was he doing in the moments before their first encounter? How does he describe the act of violence? How did he feel after the crime took place? ‘What was his reaction when asked to meet the other person? ‘What made Will so angey? What did this outburst of anger make him realize? ‘What docs he think of the experience of restorative justice? Find a partner from the other group. Compare your answers to the ‘questions in exercise 4 What do you think? 1 Is bringing together the criminal and the victim a good idea? Could it help with all crimes? Could ithelp with bullying? {60% of people released after serving one year in prison are convicted of another crime, What does this statistic suggest? 3. The purposes of imprisonment are .. to perish the ciminal *to protect society from the rina, *torehabiltae thecrimal Do you think these aims ere achieved? ‘What other forms of punishment might he more effective? De warming PROS AND CONS pi 74 Unit + tt depends how you look at it ‘What was his first reaction? How did he feel? What did he think? rM SORRY ahi burglar and his victim became the best of friends THE VICTIM BUSINESSMAN Will Riley, 50, lives in Islington, north London, with his wife «and deughter en “What are you doing here?” Tasked in shock, lesa le was a neighbour who'd sp lest Butt was obvious who be was, os suddenly scored, I thought, “Ife gptalnfe,he could fll me.?We kind ‘of fought with cach other. A passer by ‘saw us and phoned the police. Somehow managed to hold him until the police actived It was only ater they arrested him ‘and took hima away that a policeman asked if was OK. Tput my hand to my head and fel bloed. [hadn't realized wat he'd ‘done to me, 19 incredible but Tjust did't register dha be hit me wally hard. He, smashed a flower pot on my head, and all the bits were om the ground, T went v0 ‘ospital and needed stiches, ‘After dhe burglary, my whole life changed. Te always lived in big cities, and Tve never been afd of urban erimes but sudienly [became too tightened to open ry front door. AILT could think was “What ‘fmy daughter had been at home? Would hehave auacked het?”PETER WOOLE, « life-long ctiminal, broke into Wil Riley's home one March evening. Will found Petor standing in his hal, his pockets stuffed with money and jewellery. Peter wes jailed for three years forthe burglary. So i's hard to think of them becoming frionds, Here, Will and Peter describe their frst encounter, and why meeting each other ogain ‘was the best thing for both of hem . By VICTORIA KENNEDY ‘wat asked to moot the burglar in prison, wasn’ sure what the purpese was, but went anyway. Tas curious, ‘We sain the prison library, and he explained how held come from 2 ‘dysfunctional family, was a heroin ‘edict and spent hs life in and out of jail He spoke without any emetion, But it was when he suldenty said “Last time ‘ye met. that I exploded. I screamed at him, ‘Why me? Why did you ruin my life?” ‘We dicn’t meet in a bor you lite 1 ‘You broke into my house!” I was so angry. Isereamed at him, “Why me? ‘Why did you do this to me? Why did ‘you ruin my ie?” Teould see from his face that Thad ‘201 through to him. He looked scunned, Ti was thea Trealized he was just an ‘ordinary guy. Asi I wanted to help him When I gothome, fle relieved. All my fears disappeared. Because I could see Peter was just a normal human being, Ihe became eve fightening. ‘When he was finaly released, we stayed in touch, Pye met him dozens of mes since end the chenge in him is amazing. Ward to believe he’s the seme person ‘who broke into ry home, He's totally different ‘Tm delighted that Pve done something to help Peter get his ite back. @ THE ROBBER PETER WOOLF, 50, is married to Louise, and works as a counsellor fo rehabilitate criminals ... IT-WAS easy to break into Wills house Just ene pash and the loc: broke. I quickly took some gold jewellery and some money fom upstairs. Twas feeling hcky. But when [was coming downstairs and Thumped into Wal in the hall, I suddenly {alt frightened. I thought, “He's a big guy. Ithe wanted to,he could hurt me?" [tried to escape. I didn’t want to hit him, but I did. Fm not a violent uy, Dut just id what T hac vo do. There was a flower pot, and [smashed i¢ on. his head. After I wneserested, all felt wos a big sense of relief. Lwas going back toa place T knew well. Tel been in ancl out of priton for 18 year, for theft, burglary, and fiaud. J stared using drugs when Twas 10 and became an addict at 14 Tl hit rock bottom. I stole because it was the only thing T knew how to de. | knew it would only letd me back ta prison, 1 was given « three-year sentence. It was while Iwas in jail someone mentioned ‘Restorative Justice, I couldn't sce the point, but I agreed t0 do it bocause T was bored. folate Peter Woolf and Will Riley Tewasn’s une I started walking down the corridor towards the Hbrary tat I pot scare. When Igoe there Tsar dos and jus locked at xe floor. I said the same rubbish [always used to say to the police ‘Buc Wil was furious, ana T was shocked, T thought, “My God, Ici this” to make things better. 1 euddenly realized that Iwas responsible for this man’s pain. He wasn’t jus. & faceless nobody tha Pt stolen fom. Tt angry with myoelf, anc ahamed. T wae determined to male things better: 1 did a courge of rehab to get off drugs also started 2 course tobe a counsellor. Te was atthe counseling lace that I met Lovie. I was over the moon, And my life ‘changed completely 1 was released early after 18 months, and Louise and I got married. Life hasn't been easy, but I've worked bard to got things together. ‘Tm nov helping others. 'm clean of drugs and haven't committed another ‘rime. I feel proud of myself These days, consider myself lucky that I broke into Wills house that day. I'Thadn’t— and if ‘we hadn't become friends -I dent know what would have dene. I guess Td be dead by now. @