Restorative justice
Typically involves offenders coming face to face with people or the person
they have offenders against (the victim). Emphasis on ‘paying back’ must - can lead to significant psychological benefits for survivors.
be managed carefully. - large longitudinal review of restorative justice conferences,
survivors who took part reported higher satisfaction, reduced post
Restorative justice programmes switch the emphasis from the needs of the traumatic stress symptoms, and greater emotional well being
state ( to enforce law and punish) to the needs of the individual victim (to compared to those who only experienced the traditional criminal
come to terms with crime and move on). justice process.
- increases sense of control, closure and validation can reduce
feelings of anger, anxiety and helplessness.
- allow survivors to express their feelings directly and receive an
Restorative justice process:
explanation from the offender
- Responsibility: The offender must
- doesn’t not only address the behavioural impact of crime but
- braithwaite - ' crime hurts, justice accept responsibility for their actions
also supports survivors’ psychological recovery, valid approach
should heal’ and understand the consequences of the
in rehabilitation and victim care.
- a supervised meeting between two norm they caused.
parties is organised, in victim is given
the opportunity to confront the offender - reconciliation: process to encourages
and explain how the incident affected communication between the victim and - good evidence that victims who have taken
- not appropriate for all offences
them. Attended by a trained mediator. offender to rebuild relationships where part in restorative justice schemes feel it was
- cases involving serious violence or
- offender is able to see the possible beneficial.
domestic abuse, face to face contact
consequences of their actions, - uk restorative justice council report 85%
may retraumatise survivors or create
including the emotional distress - repair: the offender should repair the satisfaction from victims in face to face
power imbalances.
caused harm caused to the victim and meetings with their offenders, covering a
- id the offender lacks genuine
- used instead of a custodial sentence community. This may include, large range of different offences from theft
remorse, the process may feel
or alongside custodial sentence in more apologise, compensation, or community to violent crime. One police force reported
insincere or manipulative, reducing
serious crimes. service 92.5% victims satisfaction with restorative
its effectiveness and potentially
- active process, that focus on justice when the victim had been the subject
causing further distress.
acceptance of responsibility and - restoration: the goal is to restore the of the violent crime.
- limits the application of using RJ
positive change for people who harm situation as much as possible, repairing - shows that, for a large range of crimes,
as a universal alternative to
others, less emphasis on punishment. the damage to individuals and the restorative justice benefits victims.
punishment alone for dealing with
community. - therefore strengthening restorative justice
offending behaviour.
as a way of dealing with offending
- reintegration: the offender is helped to behaviour.
rejoin society positively rather than
being excluded or labelled as a criminal.
Variations of the process : One limitation of restorative justice is that it does not address the underlying
psychological causes of offending. Anger management aims to treat the cause of
- doesn’t always involve face to face encounters. aggressive crime by helping offenders recognise triggers for anger and develop
- may occasionally make some financial restitution. strategies such as cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques. Kean’s
- other variations may include offender repairing damaged property studies show that offenders who complete anger management programmes show
themselves. reduced aggression and improved emotional regulation, via the process of cognitive
- restorative justice is flexible and can function as an alternative to preparation, skill acquisition phase, and application practice. Whilst, in contract
prison or add on to community service, or an incentive to existing the restorative justice process focuses on repairing harm between the offending and
sentence reduction. the victim through apology and discussion, but this does not necessarily change
the offenders thought processes or behaviour as this may encourage offenders to
show remorse without necessarily reducing future aggression and apologising to
the victim but still lacking the skills to manage anger in future situations. This
suggests anger management may be more effective at producing long term
behavioural change as it is stronger a changing internal behaviour and thinking,
whereas restorative justice focuses more on repairing harm and accountability.
Therefore, limiting the credibility of restorative justice as a way of dealing with
offending behaviour.
Typically involves offenders coming face to face with people or the person
they have offenders against (the victim). Emphasis on ‘paying back’ must - can lead to significant psychological benefits for survivors.
be managed carefully. - large longitudinal review of restorative justice conferences,
survivors who took part reported higher satisfaction, reduced post
Restorative justice programmes switch the emphasis from the needs of the traumatic stress symptoms, and greater emotional well being
state ( to enforce law and punish) to the needs of the individual victim (to compared to those who only experienced the traditional criminal
come to terms with crime and move on). justice process.
- increases sense of control, closure and validation can reduce
feelings of anger, anxiety and helplessness.
- allow survivors to express their feelings directly and receive an
Restorative justice process:
explanation from the offender
- Responsibility: The offender must
- doesn’t not only address the behavioural impact of crime but
- braithwaite - ' crime hurts, justice accept responsibility for their actions
also supports survivors’ psychological recovery, valid approach
should heal’ and understand the consequences of the
in rehabilitation and victim care.
- a supervised meeting between two norm they caused.
parties is organised, in victim is given
the opportunity to confront the offender - reconciliation: process to encourages
and explain how the incident affected communication between the victim and - good evidence that victims who have taken
- not appropriate for all offences
them. Attended by a trained mediator. offender to rebuild relationships where part in restorative justice schemes feel it was
- cases involving serious violence or
- offender is able to see the possible beneficial.
domestic abuse, face to face contact
consequences of their actions, - uk restorative justice council report 85%
may retraumatise survivors or create
including the emotional distress - repair: the offender should repair the satisfaction from victims in face to face
power imbalances.
caused harm caused to the victim and meetings with their offenders, covering a
- id the offender lacks genuine
- used instead of a custodial sentence community. This may include, large range of different offences from theft
remorse, the process may feel
or alongside custodial sentence in more apologise, compensation, or community to violent crime. One police force reported
insincere or manipulative, reducing
serious crimes. service 92.5% victims satisfaction with restorative
its effectiveness and potentially
- active process, that focus on justice when the victim had been the subject
causing further distress.
acceptance of responsibility and - restoration: the goal is to restore the of the violent crime.
- limits the application of using RJ
positive change for people who harm situation as much as possible, repairing - shows that, for a large range of crimes,
as a universal alternative to
others, less emphasis on punishment. the damage to individuals and the restorative justice benefits victims.
punishment alone for dealing with
community. - therefore strengthening restorative justice
offending behaviour.
as a way of dealing with offending
- reintegration: the offender is helped to behaviour.
rejoin society positively rather than
being excluded or labelled as a criminal.
Variations of the process : One limitation of restorative justice is that it does not address the underlying
psychological causes of offending. Anger management aims to treat the cause of
- doesn’t always involve face to face encounters. aggressive crime by helping offenders recognise triggers for anger and develop
- may occasionally make some financial restitution. strategies such as cognitive restructuring and relaxation techniques. Kean’s
- other variations may include offender repairing damaged property studies show that offenders who complete anger management programmes show
themselves. reduced aggression and improved emotional regulation, via the process of cognitive
- restorative justice is flexible and can function as an alternative to preparation, skill acquisition phase, and application practice. Whilst, in contract
prison or add on to community service, or an incentive to existing the restorative justice process focuses on repairing harm between the offending and
sentence reduction. the victim through apology and discussion, but this does not necessarily change
the offenders thought processes or behaviour as this may encourage offenders to
show remorse without necessarily reducing future aggression and apologising to
the victim but still lacking the skills to manage anger in future situations. This
suggests anger management may be more effective at producing long term
behavioural change as it is stronger a changing internal behaviour and thinking,
whereas restorative justice focuses more on repairing harm and accountability.
Therefore, limiting the credibility of restorative justice as a way of dealing with
offending behaviour.
