NCJ Number
165063
Date Published
1996
Length
25 pages
Annotation
The concept of restorative justice represents a new approach that is not a quick fix to solve the crime problem but that has the ability to help bring change and make a difference.
Abstract
Dissatisfaction with crime control in the United States is longstanding. Fear of crime remains high despite declining crime rates in much of the country. Restorative justice represents a return to a personal form of justice established centuries ago and based on the concept of making the offender repay the victim. The restorative model differs from the current retributive model in three ways. It changes the focus from the government to the victim while still requiring offender accountability. It changes from an adversarial process in which victims and offenders are passive to a model in which both victims and offenders are active and involved. Finally, the outcome sought in restorative justice is to right the wrong and repair the damage as the critical measure of justice; incarceration may be required for public safety, but it does not relieve the offender of the obligation to repay the victim or perform community service to compensate for the societal impact of crime. Programs with restorative justice components include orders of restitution, performance of community service, and community-based victim-offender mediation. Available research demonstrates the value and limits of restorative justice at various stages of the justice process, including law enforcement, prosecution, the courts, sentencing, victim impacts. Corrections professionals have a critical role in educating elected officials about restorative justice and the practical realities and limitations of current approaches.