The Turning Point: How a Child's Words Changed a Grandfather's Life

Although many of the files that are referred to us involve youthful offenders, one of our facilitators received a file in which the offender was a grandfather who had a drinking problem.  When he drank , he often broke the law. He had been in front of a judge many times, but the court appearances didn’t seem to have an impact.  The facilitator was worried that the circle wasn’t having the desired effect until the offender’s young granddaughter spoke:  “Grandpa, I love you, but when you are drunk I am ashamed of you and afraid of you.”  That was all the offender needed to hear.

From a Facilitator