Information with collage

Here is the information that goes with my collage when on display to explain Circle Sentencing and my collage.

Circle Sentencing

Circle Sentencing is an alternative sentencing court for adult Aboriginal offenders. The Circle has the full sentencing powers of the court. It directly involves local Aboriginal people in the process of sentencing offenders, with the key aims of making it a more meaningful experience for the offender and improving the Aboriginal community’s confidence in the criminal justice system.

Circle Sentencing takes the sentencing process out of its traditional court setting and into the community. Here, community members and the Magistrate sit in a circle to discuss the offence and the offender. The Circle also talks about the background and effects of the offence and develops a sentence that is tailored for that offender. Circle Sentencing can involve victims of offences, respected community people and the offender’s family. It allows greater Aboriginal involvement in the criminal justice process, particularly at the community level, and aims to increase Aboriginal satisfaction with the operations of the criminal justice system.

The desired outcome of the Circle Sentencing is that it helps to address and correct criminal behaviour within the community and it reduces the likelihood that the criminal will re-offend.


My Collage

This collage, titled The Eye Has It, contains a number of different meanings and symbols throughout. The newspaper articles represent how Aboriginals are not only failing to cope with the current jail system, they are also frequently dying in police custody. The results are constant headlines with similar circumstances surrounding the events. The eye in the centre represents the community’s “eye” keeping a watch on the process of Circle Sentencing. The coloured sequins (consisting of the aboriginal colours of red and yellow) are placed around the iris and they represent the people watching the trial including the magistrate, elders and the victim. Within the centre of the iris, taking the place of the pupil, stands the Aboriginal criminal being watched and assessed by the people in circle. Various words, also in the aboriginal colours, are placed on either side of the iris and these words help to convey the main ideas of the collage. The colours used in this collage are all the traditional, aboriginal colours of black, white, red, orange, yellow and brown. With mostly black and white in the background, the colours in the centre foreground stand out and aim to attract your attention.

I din't want to put the urls of the websites on either of my canvases to make it look weird so here they are.
http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/law/circle-sentencing.html
www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au