Sylvia Clute is a former trial lawyer who became disillusioned with the prevailing justice system and began her search for a better way. She co-founded the only women's bank in the South, became chairman of the board, and helped change Virginia's archaic laws relating to women and children. She is currently president of the Restorative Justice Association in Virginia. In this cogent and hard-hitting book, Clute delineates the failures of the justice system and other institutions that are based on a philosophy of dualism which pits us versus them, winners versus losers, and insiders versus outsiders. She calls for a compassionate revolution that is based on the Oneness or unity of life.

Clute begins with an assessment of the United States criminal justice system where:

• More than 1 in 100 Americans are now in jail.
• Taxes now finance incarceration of 1 in 53 adults in their 20s.
• There are now 2.3 million people locked up in the U.S. — the same number of prisoners in Russia and China combined.
• The U.S. accounts for 5 percent of the world's population and 25 percent of the world's prisoners.
• The U.S. incarceration binge costs $60 billion a year.

Clute discusses how the win-lose approach in the courtroom eventually causes everyone to lose in one way or another. She then presents a fresh approach (although tribal peoples have used it for centuries) called "unitive justice" which promotes inclusiveness; aims for healing and reconciliation; and desires relationships that are harmonious, equitable, and peaceful. It is the exact opposite of punitive justice which is grounded in fear and separation and based on the idea that punishment is a deterrent to crime.

Dualism is the root cause of punitive justice and the prevailing winner-loser syndrome in society's attitudes toward crime, business, work, education, national defense, and the environment. Here everything is seen as opposites, locked in conflict; inequality reigns and judgment is rampant; individuals are convinced that they are "good" whereas others are enemies and therefore "evil"; and negativity is the mind-set. Wherever you look today in society you can see the influence and pervasive impact of dualism from adversarial politics to pre-emptive military strikes to prejudice against immigrants. Movies play a very large role in keeping this pernicious philosophy alive and well in the minds of youth.

Clute maintains that Oneness is the real Reality since it is universal and consistent, reflecting the yearning that all have for peace, equality, justice, and love. Although the mystical have always emphasized Oneness, dualism still retains its hold on many believers in the world's religions. The author salutes the coming together of religion and science (thanks especially to quantum physics) in an affirmation of both the wholeness and the interconnectedness of all life. Clute also sees positive signs of change in the Green Movement, conscious capitalism, peace building and conflict resolution, and restorative justice.

Here at Spirituality & Practice, we have tried to pave the way for Oneness through our reviewing of resources and documentaries. We have exposed the toxic elements of dualistic thinking in our spiritual essays. Time will tell whether a compassionate revolution through unity consciousness is on the way or whether a further swing toward dualism is just around the corner.