Internationally Recognized Restorative Justice Scholar to speak at Marquette Released: Nov. 16, 2005 MILWAUKEE –Marquette University Law School has named Dr. Mark S. Umbreit as the Robert F. Boden Visiting Chair for the 2005-06 academic year.  As chair, Umbreit will deliver the Ninth Annual Robert F. Boden Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005. He will discuss Restorative Justice in the 21st Century: A Social Movement Full of Opportunities and Pitfalls at the Weasler Auditorium at 1506 W. Wisconsin Avenue.  This lecture is presented as part of Restorative Justice Week. Umbreit is a professor and the founding director of the Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking at the University of Minnesota, School of Social Work. He also serves on the faculty of the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center. In 2003, he was awarded a continuing summer fellowship with the International Centre for Healing and the Law in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is an internationally recognized practitioner and scholar with more than 34 years of experience as a mediator, facilitator, trainer, researcher and author of six books and more than 130 other publications.  As a practitioner, Umbreit specializes in facilitating a dialogue between family survivors/victims of severe violence, primarily homicide, and the offender. Umbreit has conducted studies in several countries and is currently evaluating the first restorative justice initiative in the Ukraine, in four regions of the former Soviet Republic. He is also working with the American Bar Association Latin America Project. Umbreit is actively working with colleagues in Northern Ireland and Israel/Palestine on peacemaking initiatives. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Dept. of Justice for the past 25 years.  "We are grateful that Dr. Umbreit will be with us this year to work with our law school colleague, Justice Janine P. Geske, in the important area of restorative justice,” said Joseph D. Kearney, dean of Marquette University Law School. "Restorative justice is an important and developing concept that helps to restore the victims and the community to a central place in discussion of crime.” The Robert F. Boden Chair lecture series began at Marquette Law School in 1995 to commemorate the commitment to law scholarship and teaching of former Dean Robert F. Boden.  From 1965 until his death in 1984, Dean Boden led Marquette University Law School through unprecedented growth. There is no charge for the event and it is open to the public.  For more information on Restorative Justice Week and the Restorative Justice program, visit the Marquette University Law School website. Interested media should contact Anne Broeker in the Office of Marketing and Communication at (414) 288-0286. Office of Marketing and Communication Contacts Christopher Stolarski Media Relations Specialist Phone: (414) 288-1988 Send e-mail