Restorative. Justice
• programmes aim to help rebuild relationships between the offender, the victim, their family and the whole
community
• Attempts to improve the experience for the victim and encouraging the offender to take responsibility for
their victims
• Switches the emphasis from the needs of the state (enforce the law and punish) to the victim (come to the
terms with the crime and move on) . Victims are encouraged to take on an active role and offenders are held
accountable
Key features
• focus on acceptance and responsibility, leads to positive change in offenders and reduces the emphasis on
punishment
• Not restricted to courtrooms, can choose to meet in a non courtroom setting
• All parties are actively involved as opposed to passively
• focuses on positive outcomes for survivors and offenders
Aims
Rehabilitation: the offender is encouraged to take responsibility for the crime, effecting their future behaviour.
Punishment is a passive process, but rehabilitative justice requires the criminal's active participation.
Atonement: Offenders may offer concrete compensation for the crime, through money or unpaid community
work. The 'atonement’ is psychological by simply showing their feelings of guilt
Perspective: From the victim's perspective this can reduce their sense of victimisation because they are no
longer powerless and have a voice. The offender may develop a greater understanding of the victim by listening
to their account
Variations
• face to face meetings between the offender
and the victim; 1) direct mediation (face to
face meeting accompanied by a trained
mediator to help guide/manage their
discussions and offer support) 2) indirect
mediation (they do not meet face to face,
communication is passed to eachother by a
mediator)
• Offender may make some financial restitution to the victim which may reflect psychological or physical harm
• Restorative justice is flexible and can be used as an alternative to prison, as an add on to community service
or a way to reduce an existing sentence
• programmes aim to help rebuild relationships between the offender, the victim, their family and the whole
community
• Attempts to improve the experience for the victim and encouraging the offender to take responsibility for
their victims
• Switches the emphasis from the needs of the state (enforce the law and punish) to the victim (come to the
terms with the crime and move on) . Victims are encouraged to take on an active role and offenders are held
accountable
Key features
• focus on acceptance and responsibility, leads to positive change in offenders and reduces the emphasis on
punishment
• Not restricted to courtrooms, can choose to meet in a non courtroom setting
• All parties are actively involved as opposed to passively
• focuses on positive outcomes for survivors and offenders
Aims
Rehabilitation: the offender is encouraged to take responsibility for the crime, effecting their future behaviour.
Punishment is a passive process, but rehabilitative justice requires the criminal's active participation.
Atonement: Offenders may offer concrete compensation for the crime, through money or unpaid community
work. The 'atonement’ is psychological by simply showing their feelings of guilt
Perspective: From the victim's perspective this can reduce their sense of victimisation because they are no
longer powerless and have a voice. The offender may develop a greater understanding of the victim by listening
to their account
Variations
• face to face meetings between the offender
and the victim; 1) direct mediation (face to
face meeting accompanied by a trained
mediator to help guide/manage their
discussions and offer support) 2) indirect
mediation (they do not meet face to face,
communication is passed to eachother by a
mediator)
• Offender may make some financial restitution to the victim which may reflect psychological or physical harm
• Restorative justice is flexible and can be used as an alternative to prison, as an add on to community service
or a way to reduce an existing sentence
