What Is Restorative Justice?

Restorative justice is a broad term encompassing a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving, and violations of legal and human rights. Restorative approaches seek to balance the needs of the victim, wrongdoer, and community through processes that preserve the safety and dignity of all.

In criminal legal system contexts, rather than privileging the law, professionals and the state; restorative justice resolutions engage those who are harmed, wrongdoers and their affected communities in search of solutions that promote repair, reconciliation and the rebuilding of relationships. Restorative justice seeks to build partnerships to reestablish mutual responsibility for constructive responses to wrongdoing within our communities.

Restorative Justice

Values

Restorative justice is a value-based approach to conflict and harm. These values are often identified as inclusion, democracy, responsibility, reparation, safety, healing, and reintegration. But one value is more essential than any other: respect.

Process

For Victims: restorative responses empower victims by offering them a voice in the process; an opportunity to ask questions and seek answers; and afford them a role in decision-making and avenues for healing, restitution, and emotional support.

For Wrongdoers: restorative responses enable wrongdoers to be accountable for their conduct; affords opportunities to make amends and express remorse; offers constructive ways to repair harm; supports making responsible choices; and creates forums for forgiveness, reconciliation and reintegration.

For Communities: restorative responses re-invest citizens with the power to contribute meaningfully to the resolution of community problems; allows citizens to articulate and affirm the moral standards of the community; provides a forum for addressing the underlying conditions, which generate harm; and contributes towards the building of safe, thriving, and peaceful communities.

Practice

These practices include:

  • Victim-Offender Dialogue
  • Family Group Conferencing
  • Community/School Conferencing
  • Peacemaking Circles
  • Reparative Boards
  • Truth/Reconciliation Commissions
  • Victim Impact Panels
  • Restorative Community Service
  • Restitution
  • Victim Support/Services
  • Reintegration Services