Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world
Not In My Name: A Homicide Survivor Speaks Out
Opposition to the death penalty is often offender-oriented -- the victims? families are left out of the equation and are often victimized for the second time by the criminal justice system. The execution of an offender, often thought to bring relief to those who survive, can lead instead to a perpetuation of the cycle of violence, and bring further grief rather than help the healing process. Renny Cushing, himself the survivor of homicide, will speak about the double isolation suffered by some survivors of homicide, first because of the murder, and then because of their opposition to the death penalty. In lessons that translate around the world and across violent situations, he will discuss how victims of homicide move beyond the need for vengeance and begin to heal themselves without giving into vengeance.
