Restorative justice focuses on addressing harm caused by crime at an individual level, involving victims and offenders in the justice process. It is used in civil law, family settings, and residential facilities. Victims can offer input and interact with offenders in a mediated environment, while offenders can make personal amends and engage in community service. Restorative justice has shown to decrease reoffending and increase victim satisfaction. Communities can implement restorative justice programs with the help of victim advocates, law enforcement agencies, and criminal scientists.
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that centers the roles of victims and offenders in the justice process with the aim of addressing the harm caused by crime at the individual level, rather than at a more abstract governmental level. Instead of viewing a crime as simply a violation of the law and an act against the state, restorative justice advocates view crimes as acts against individuals and are treated as such. Many historical legal systems have used this approach, and some modern systems have begun to consider restorative justice in their approach to criminal law.
The concept is already active in civil law, where people can go to court to seek compensation for damages. It is also commonly employed informally in settings such as the family, where it is common for entire families to cooperate to determine punishments for misbehavior and breaking house rules. Many residential facilities for people such as troubled youth and psychiatric patients also use restorative justice to discipline their members.
In a case where the principles of this approach are applied, victims have the opportunity to offer input, speaking about the impact the crime has had on their lives and the resolution they would like to see. Victims may be able to interact directly with offenders in a mediated environment, creating a personal connection between both parties. Offenders have the opportunity to make personal amends such as apologizing or providing redress, and they may also engage in community service and other activities to apologize to the community, as well as the victim.
Everyone is given a role in the judicial process when the principles of restorative justice are used. Studies have shown that victims tend to express greater satisfaction with the outcomes of the case when this approach is used, both because they are given the opportunity to participate and because their needs are taken into consideration when punishments are meted out. Reoffending has also decreased, as offenders are made aware of the impact of their actions on a personal level.
Communities can use restorative justice in many different ways. Programs that promote this approach to justice work with individuals such as victim advocates, law enforcement agencies, and criminal scientists to develop a program for implementing restorative justice in their community. Allowing victims to provide input during sentencing and parole hearings is widespread in some regions, as is the possibility of mediated discussions with offenders to allow both parties to communicate directly with each other.
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