Describe restorative justice + strengths and weaknesses

• Point: strength

  Restorative justice is a method aimed at modifying criminal behaviour by encouraging offenders to take responsibility for their actions and recognise the personal harm caused to victims.
• explanation/evidence: strength

  This often involves communication between the offender and victim, either through face-to-face meetings or written exchanges, overseen by a trained, impartial facilitator.
• Evidence: strength

  Research by Sherman and Strang (2007) reviewed 20 studies across the US, UK, and Australia and consistently found reduced reoffending rates after restorative meetings. For instance, offenders who took part in one study showed an 11% reoffending rate compared to 37% for those receiving custodial sentences.
• Link: strength

  This suggests that restorative justice can positively influence attitudes towards crime and future behaviour, offering a more active, reformative alternative to traditional imprisonment.
• Point: weakness

  However, restorative justice has important limitations, particularly concerning practical and ethical issues.
• Evidence/explanation: weakness

  From an ethical perspective, there is a risk of psychological harm if victims feel that offenders show little genuine remorse, potentially leading to retraumatisation or a sense of injustice.
• Evidence: weakness

  Dignan (2005) found that although many victims report satisfaction, some feel disillusioned by the process if expectations are not met.
• Link: weakness

  Furthermore, restorative justice is not suitable for all cases. Although the Restorative Justice Council (2015) highlights financial benefits - reporting that £8 is saved for every £1 spent - these advantages depend heavily on consistent, high-quality implementation across programmes.
• Conclusion

  In conclusion, while restorative justice offers significant benefits in terms of rehabilitation, victim satisfaction, and cost savings, it is not a flawless solution and must be carefully tailored to individual cases to avoid ethical pitfalls and ensure lasting positive outcomes.