Atonement

"For sentencing, our legal system should adopt the element of atonement, rejecting our wrong ways and offences, but not rejecting us when we change our ways."

"Where we plead guilty to an offence, the query, “How do you think you should atone?” should be posed."

"It is beneficial to our understanding and judgement to attain an idea of what those of us committing an offence consider sufficient atonement and why. A statement of what we consider sufficient helps those of us harmed consider conciliation and those of us who have harmed consider our actions and the harm we have done."

"Conciliation requires our willingness to atone and make amends. Those of us harmed need to hear those who have harmed express our desire to make amends and atone."

"The offer to make amends must indicate how, in what form and to what extent. This conveys what we feel is appropriate and sufficient atonement for the harm we have done. Our statement need not be confined to a typical sentence, but be a product of the particular circumstances of our case."

"The willingness to make amends and atone attends to our genuine contrition. This facilitates the conciliation of those of us wronged with those of us who have wronged and humanity in general. It assists closure and a new beginning."

[Excerpt from The Common Purpose Manifesto]