Sad News from STP in Western Australia
In late September, Michael Cockram, STP manager for Western Australia, sent a note announcing the sudden death of a long-serving victim participant. Helen was participating in her 8th STP course when she died after many years of pain and serious medical issues resulting from the criminal offenses that had been committed against her. She had found release though STP and invested boundless enthusiasm in the programme.
John White and Kim Kemp were the facilitators for the last STP course Helen participated in. She was hospitalised at the time, but insisted that she had to leave the hospital to attend the STP course sessions in Acacia Prison. The news of her death was shared with her fellow participants during session three as chaplains relayed the sad news to prisoners who had formerly participated in the programme.
During that session the participants reflected on how Helen had impacted their lives. During the remaining sessions, the group included an empty chair for Helen and she was referred to many times. In their report, John and Kim describe how prisoners usually “get it” [the point of STP] in sessions five or six. But for this STP, that time came in session three with the majority of the prisoners experiencing significant transformation.
Michael Cockram provides the following reflection from Helen’s funeral:
“Her funeral service… took place in the presence of a number of her STP friends and there was a bunch of flowers provided the by the Acacia prisoners many of whom were under counselling for grief. Even at her funeral friends were experiencing healing of their own losses.”
To learn more about Helen’s story please see http://www.restorativejustice.org/editions/2007/october07/stpq
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December 2009
