50 years later: Reckless rampage in Elmira, Ont., leads to restorative justice movement
This year marks the 50th anniversary of a drunken vandalism spree in Elmira, Ont. that changed the Canadian justice system forever.
Russell Kelly, who is now 67-years-old, sat down with CTV News Kitchener at his home on Tuesday to reflect on the transformative night in 1974.
He read a passage from his book titled “Scoundrel to Scholar,” recalling a visit with a friend.
“Of course, the real reason for the visit was to drink ourselves into a stupor,” Kelly said, reading a line from the novel.
At the time, he was 18 years old and turned to drugs and alcohol after losing both of his parents.
“If you don’t deal with that grief, it’s like burying a bomb,” he said.
That bomb eventually went off.
The two teenagers went on a reckless rampage though Elmira.
“Slashed 22 car tires, smashed front windows of homes, damaged a gazebo, smashed windows of cars,” said Kelly.
The teens were arrested, but instead of going to jail, a forward-thinking parole officer suggested a different punishment. He thought it would be beneficial to have the offenders meet their victims, apologize, and compensate them for any losses. The judge accepted that recommendation, so that’s exactly what the pair did.
“We accepted responsibility for what we had done. And now we’re holding ourselves accountable and we want to repair the harm,” said Kelly.
Now known as The Elmira Case, it became the first example of restorative justice used in the Canadian legal system. It focuses on repairing the harm done by the crime, rather than punishing the offender, which is now used in various forms around the world.
“In the event that it’s a first-time offense, which often it is, then it saves a person from having a criminal record going forward,” said Chris Cowie, executive director of Community Justice Initiatives (CJI).
That’s if all sides are satisfied with the process and outcome. There is a chance a judge may not be pleased with the response from the parties involved, and an offender could still face more serious consequences.
While Indigenous cultures have long used similar conflict resolution practices, The Elmira Case broke ground.
“What was unique about this was that it was actually court sanctioned,” Cowie said.
Although there have been positive outcomes from restorative justice, which Community Justice Initiatives has seen first-hand with their community involvement, the organization says there is more work to be done.
“There’s an inordinate number of people who are of colour and Indigenous who end up in our justice system,” said Cowie. “And over the first many years of CJI doing this kind of work, realized that most referrals that come our way look very much like what Russ and his friend did, namely two young white guys.”
They have been focused on adapting their program to be better at bringing offenders and victims together from all communities.
"CJI believes that the work of grassroots, BIPOC-led organizations need to be encouraged and empowered to meet the needs of their respective communities," Cowie said.
Kelly is advocating for the same thing. He wants to see people given the same chance he was.
“There can be healing on both sides.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice
A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches.
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault
Const. Bridget Morla, a Leduc RCMP officer, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident that happened two years ago.
Ontario dad removes hockey rink at heart of neighbour dispute
A Markham dad who drew the ire of neighbours and the city after installing a hockey rink in his backyard says the rink has now been taken down.
Kingston, Ont. doctor in 'disbelief' after being ordered to repay $600K for pandemic vaccination payments
An Ontario health tribunal has ordered a Kingston, Ont. doctor to repay over $600,000 to the Ontario government for improperly billing thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic.
Three climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing on New Zealand's highest peak
Three mountain climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing after they failed to return from a planned ascent of New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki, authorities said Tuesday.
Motivated by obsession: Canadians accused in botched California murder plot in police custody
Two Canadians are in police custody in Monterey County, California, after a triple stabbing police say was motivated by a B.C. man's obsession with a woman he played video games with online.
Trump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office there will be “HELL TO PAY."
Belly fat linked to signs of Alzheimer’s 20 years before symptoms begin, study says
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory centre of their brain shrinks and beta amyloid and tau may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
More RCMP and CBSA ‘human resources’ destined for border, Public Safety Minister LeBlanc says
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will 'absolutely' be adding more Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP ‘human resources’ at the border.