Reflection by Edgar Cahn
TimeBanking does more than make exchanges possible. Racism is a pervasive phenomenon in juvenile justice systems. TimeBanking values people the market does not value: youth. It values work that the market does not value: creating a peer culture that honors contribution and a passion for justice. In this youth court, timebanking enables youth who get into trouble to redefine themselves as community assets. It can compete with gangs as a source of respect and support. And as one youth court juror explained: “I learned that my actions have consequences.” These youth are more than jurors; they are social architects, restructuring the justice system and dismantling the school to prison pipeline. This currency can shape new institutions and enable them to become sustainable. According to the Preamble to the Constitution, this nation was formed to “establish justice.” Establishing justice is not a spectator sport.
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