Santa Fe Lawbreakers Sentenced to Tai Chi and Tea

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By Reuters

Published: 08/18/2003

Crime and punishment have entered a new age in Santa Fe, New Mexico, thanks to a local judge who sentences lawbreakers to tai chi, meditation and -- if they are really in need of help -- Japanese tea ceremony.
Judge Frances Gallegos, from the liberal New Mexico city of Santa Fe, allows offenders to take tai chi classes, meditate and participate in a Japanese tea ceremony as part of an alternative sentencing program for young, violent offenders.
'Traditional anger management courses weren't working,' said Gallegos, noting that recidivism rates in other types of anger management classes were too high for her liking. The judge listened to the advice of Mark De Francis, a psychologist with the state corrections department who is also a doctor of Oriental medicine.
De Francis believes that some Asian traditions such as tai chi and tea ceremony teach people to find calmness in their thoughts and, 'find an inner opponent, rather than outer opponent, to do battle with.'
Tai chi, or tai chi chuan, is a Chinese practice of physical exercises used for self-defense and meditation.
Young, violent offenders - mostly cited in domestic violence cases, drunk driving or road rage incidents-- can choose to take the alternative sentencing classes, which began last October, or perform community service tasks, such as collecting garbage.
The 12-week classes are held twice a week for two hours in the lobby of the courthouse, which is filled with candles and mirrors for the occasion. The $180 class is paid for by the offenders.
Participants serve each other herbal tea with Kava Kava, a natural calming agent, and finish the class with an acupuncture treatment for relaxation.

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