What Is Restorative Justice?
People who move through the current system of criminal justice generally do not find it to be a very healing or satisfying experience. As a result of the dissatisfaction expressed by victims, offenders, people who work within the system and society at large, communities are looking for different ways of responding to crime and the harm that results because of it.
In its broadest meaning, Restorative Justice is about addressing wrongs. Although it can refer to a variety of contexts, to date its application has been predominantly focused on harms that are defined as violations of criminal laws. Within the context of the Criminal Justice field, Restorative Justice views conflict and crime as harm done by one person to another. The consequences of such an action should be "making things right" (as much as possible) between these individuals. Restorative Justice involves the victim, the offender and the community in search for solutions, which promote repair and possibly reconciliation.
Instead of asking:
- What law was broken?
- Who broke it?
- How should we punish the lawbreaker?
Restorative Justice asks:
- Who has been hurt?
- What are their needs?
- Who is responsible for "making things right"?
Some examples of processes based on the Restorative Justice Philosophy are:
- Victim Offender Mediation
- Community Conferencing
- Youth Justice Committees
- Circle Sentencing
- Circles of Support and Accountability
- Mediated Dialogue in Crimes of Severe Violence