Restorative Justice

• A method of reducing and atoning for offending behaviour through reconciliation between offender and victim, as well as the wider community

  This was introduced due to failure of other approaches
• Giving support with no control results in permissive behaviour

  Restoration aims to have high support and control
• Changing the emphasis

  Restorative justice programmes switch the emphasis from the needs of the state (to enforce law and punish) to the needs of the individual victim (come to terms with crime and move on)

  Victims are encouraged to take an active role in the process, whilst offenders are required to take responsibility and face what they have done
• Restorative Justice process

  A process of managed collaboration between offender and victim based on the related principles of healing and empowerment

  Supervised voluntary meeting between offender and victim with trained mediator

  Victim ('survivor') able to confront offender and explain impact

  Offenders see consequences of actions (important for rehabilitation) and the victim explains how it affected them

  It can be done without an actual meeting, eg offender 'repairs' damages done themselves

  Flexible - alternative to prison (especially with young offender), can be added to community service, as an incentive to reduce sentence
• 5 principles of restorative Justice

  1. Relationship
  2. Respect
  3. Responsibility
  4. Repair
  5. Reintegration
• Relationship

  Offender feels accountable for their actions so that relationship with victim and society can be fixed
• Respect

  Respect between parties is achieved via active listening and trying to understand the perspective of the other person
• Responsibility

  Offender must take responsibility even if the harm inflicted was unintentional
• Repair

  the offender must do what they can to repair the damage they have done, and the victim must extinguish thoughts of revenge and punishment and instead embrace positive moves forward
• Reintegration

  The offender becomes part of the community with the emphasis on positive, active outcomes
• Three aims of Restorative Justice

  1. Rehabilitation
  2. Atonement for wrongdoing
  3. Victim's perspective
• Rehabilitation

  Victim explains the real impact of the crime

  The offender understands the effects on the victim

  Offender may learn to take perspectives of others

  this may then reduce chances of reoffending
• Atonement for wrongdoing

  Offender may offer compensation to the victim (Money or unpaid community work)

  Atonement is seen through any feelings of guilt

  The victim can express distress

  This may increase the feeling of empathy/taking perspective by the offender
• Victim's perspective

  The victim now has a voice

  Reduces victimisation

  The victim may also develop an increased awareness/empathy towards the offender

  Reducing the victim's sense of feeling harmed