Restorative justice

• Historically crime was seen against ‘state’

  New thinking- crime against ‘individual’

  Restorative justice involves offender coming face to face with victim to reconcile, take responsibility and rehabilitate 

  Victims are encouraged to have an active role and to have a voice 
• Process

  It is a managed collaboration between offender and victim based on the principles of healing and empowerment

  Victim: confronts offenders / explains effects

  Offender: sees distress caused / consequences
• Key features

  focuses on accepting responsibility and positive change

  Takes place in a non-courtroom setting

  Active rather than passive 

  Focuses on positive outcomes for both 
• restorative justice can be used ore trial with the offenders involvement considered during sentencing

  it can function alongside a prison sentence or as an alternative to pris on, especially for young offenders, or as an incentive to reduce prison sentence
• restitution

  often seen as a monetary payment by an offender to the survivor for the harm caused.

  so the offender may make financial or emotional restitution to the victim
• restorative justice council

  An independent body whose role is to establish clear standards for the use of restorative justice, and to support survivors and specialists professionals in the field 
• A strength is evidence suggests a positive outcome 

  The results of 7 year research project showed 85% of survivors report satisfaction with the process and 78% would recommended it to others.

  60% of survivors said they felt better, enabling the to feel closure and help them move on.

  2% said it made them feel worse.

  however, the restorative processes are not as survivor focused reported, the process can become distorted, when survivors are used to rehabilitate offenders rather than being helped themself. Suggesting the victims needs may be seen as secondary to rehabilitation of offender
• A strength restorative justice does seem to lead to a decrease in rates of offending 

  A meta-analysis of 10 studies compared offenders who had RJ schemes with those who only had us to dial sentencing, the RJ group was significantly less likely to reoffend .

  This reduction was larger in violent crimes than crimes against property
• A limitation is offenders may abuse the system 

  Offenders should be taking part because they regret the hurt caused and want to make amends, however, offenders may abuse restorative justice to reduce their sentencing, play down their faults and may take pride in their relationship with the survivor