NCJ Number
166230
Journal
International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 20 Issue: 1 & 2 Dated: (Spring/Fall 1996) Pages: 221-231
Date Published
1996
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the role of the community in criminal justice in Japan and more specifically the initiatives which have been taken at various stages of the criminal justice system from policing to corrections.
Abstract
One of the findings of the analysis is that citizens do participate in a variety of volunteer initiatives in the justice system, while at the same time placing considerable trust in criminal justice agencies. There are, however, areas in which citizens often oppose the policies and programs of justice agencies, particularly in the field of corrections. While there are no North-American-style mechanisms for dispute resolution, such as victim-offender reconciliation, Japan does have an extensive system of informal social control, premised on the cultural attributes of Japanese society, by which disputes are settled. Apologies, payment of private restitution, and mediation by police officers are some of the mechanisms for resolving incidents that do not involve the justice system. There is some indication that the trust which citizens have in the criminal justice system has eroded in recent times and, in urban areas in particular, the public is becoming more involved in taking crime preventive measures. References