dealing with offenders - restorative justice programs A01

• restorative justice program

  -          Restorative justice is a relatively new scheme but not a new idea.

  -          Usually involves the victim and the offender having face to face discussion in the persons of a mediator - the offender explains why they did it, feelings.
• restorative justice program

  -          There are alternatives to face-to-face meetings – the offender could instead do community service, pay a fine, write a letter or in the case of robbery return some of the stolen goods.
• Aims of restorative justice programs

  -          restorative justice programs have the potential to address 2 key aims of custodial sentencing – rehabilitation and learn atonement for their wrongdoing.
• Aims of restorative justice programs

  -          rehabilitation of offenders - the victim has an opportunity to explain the impact of the crime on them which enables the offender to understand the effects of they have had on the victim. offenders may learn to take the perspective of others which reduces the possibility of reoffending.

  in particular the offender is encouraged to take responsibility for the crime, and this should have an effect on their future behaviour – this is because being punished is a passive process, but rehabilitative justice requires the criminal’s active participation.
• Aims of restorative justice programs

  -          Atonement for wrongdoing = offenders may offer concrete compensation for the crime possible by doing unpaid community work  most importantly atonement is psychological by simply showing feelings of guiltan offender can also show an understanding on the effects their behaviour has had on othersoverall an offender has the opportunity to express their distress, and this provides the offender the chance of developing empathy by taking the perspective if the victim
• Aims of restorative justice programs

  -          Victims’ perspective = during the conversation victims have a voice so this process can help reduce the victim’s sense of victimisation – and the victim has the opportunity to develop an understanding of why the offender committed a crime – which in turn reduces the victim’s sense of being harmed
• The theory of restorative justice

  -          Wachtel and McCold proposed a theoretical framework.
• The theory of restorative justice

  -          The starting point is that the focus should be on the relationships rather than punishment.
• The theory of restorative justice

  -          According to this theory there are 3 stakeholders – the victim who seeks reparation, the offender who must take reasonability and the community whose aim is to achieve reconciliation to maintain a healthy society.
• The theory of restorative justice

  -          Full restoration involves all 3 stakeholders and example would be something called peace circles which are set up in many communities where crime rates are high and the aim is to offer the victim support and welcomes the offender into the circle to enable mutual understanding

   
• The theory of restorative justice

  -         during peace circles meetings everyone sits in a circle and a talking piece so passed from one person to another so that each person can speak uninterrupted – in these session there is also a keeper – whose task is to maintain an atmosphere of respect and articulate the conversation