Coroner recommends birth experience to interrupt violence

I have often tried to think of some way to impact the violence endemic in our culture that all too often leads to death. Much that is tried is less than satisfactory. Recently I came across an intervention that is used elsewhere that, while at first blush is pretty strange, after thinking about it I believe it warrants consideration. (It was in a book I was reading, so I don’t have a link.)

The intervention involves having the perpetrator participate in a birth (or more than one). They participate quite intimately. In one instance that was written about, the perpetrator was made to hold the newly delivered baby and placenta immediately after birth while assisting with the birth. That can be an overwhelming visual, tactile, olfactory, and auditory experience. In other related cultures the experience is with animal births.

What a great way to instill (or re-instill) a respect for, and an understanding of, the value of life. I think it could work to interrupt (or prevent) violent behavior. Could violent perpetrators be “sentenced” to assist in “X” number of animal deliveries? Could that experience be made a part of a violence prevention program?

I think it might be worth a try.