Mass shooting in many parts of the world, especially the recent killings in New Zealand has raised concerns through communities around the globe. While strict gun control regulations restrict access to the weapon type used in these crimes, mass shootings have progressively become an anxiety source. Therefore, effective interventions need to be put in place to counter this bad behavior. In New Zealand, mass shootings are sporadic, and the country additionally enjoys low rates of crime. However, recently, the country witnessed a tragic mass shooting that resulted in the deaths of several people. The shooting took place at two mosques in Christchurch. Forty-nine people, unfortunately, lost their lives. The shooter was a white supremacist, and the individual carried out the act using a semiautomatic rifle that he had bought legally. Even though responding to these type of incidents may be quite taxing, employing transformative community conferencing may have the potential of yielding positive results. The application of community conferencing provides hope for minimizing the chance of such scary trauma.
Markedly, transformative community conferencing is an extremely beneficial process in dealing with violent incidents. In the wake of a severe harm incident, it brings together the offender and the victims along with their families. In this regard, as a facilitator, my first step to help the community in repairing the harm that was done to them will be to bring the perpetrator of the mass shooting and his victims. Also, the families of the victims will also be present. The, I would direct several questions to the offender, the injured victims present, as well as the parents of both the surviving and dead victims. I would request the perpetrator to explain what he has done to the community. In doing so, the perpetrator owns the behavior, and he becomes accountable for his actions. I would then give individuals the chance to share their stories in a safe and structured manner. Afterward, people come to a comprehension concerning the harm done. It is at this point that the community members are now in a position to choose the possible solutions. They are also able to come up with ways of preventing the damage from taking place. During this time, I would help the community come to an agreement that would reflect the wishes of the victims. However, to facilitate fairness and restorative philosophy, there will be negotiation until all parties are satisfied. Additionally, the agreement may highlight plans to offer proper support for the offender and insist that the government enforce stricter gun control laws. Also, I would encourage one or more individuals present in the process to monitor the agreement carefully. This will, therefore, unite the members of the community through cooperation. Thus, the process of healing and repair becomes more tranquil.
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Notably, it is imperative to include all parties that are impacted by the incident since it demonstrates a restorative justice feature. This is seen through its community method to problem-solving; that is, the event defines the community. The questions directed to the participants enables the transformation of negative emotions such as anger, distress, disgust, fear, to surprise and shame, and finally to relief as well as interest. Relationships are, thus, repaired. For violence victims, the validation together with an acknowledgment of their trauma by the participants of the process will help them heal appropriately. Also, the genuine reassurance that they will not be harmed in the future significantly contributes to the process of healing and moving on. Because of transformative community conferencing, offenders are less likely to offend again when the process focuses more on reparation rather than punishment.
In brief, the mass shooting has raised concerns all over the world. The recent shooting in New Zealand has sparked public outcry regarding the future of gun control laws. I firmly believe that using transformative community conferencing will be a crucial step in helping the community repair the harm.
