NCJ Number
209413
Date Published
July 2004
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article examines the development and current practices of restorative justice in the United States, with particular attention focused on Minnesota.
Abstract
Restorative justice encompasses ancient and widespread traditions of justice. Such restorative practices focus on including the community in the acknowledgement of crime, the understanding of crime, and the repairing of harm caused by crime. The author outlines the Minnesota history with restorative justice practices, which largely began in the 1980’s with a few small programs offering victim-offender mediation. The Minnesota Department of Corrections enjoys a national reputation as a leader in the field of corrections and consequently, its decision to incorporate restorative justice practices into its purview lent widespread national legitimacy to restorative justice approaches. The key characteristics of Minnesota’s restorative justice approach are enumerated, followed by descriptions of the main restorative justice approaches practiced in the United States, including face-to-face restorative practices, non face-to-face restorative practices, and restorative practices within justice systems management. The author also describes restorative practices that are not related to the criminal justice system, such as restorative measure in schools, within child welfare, and within the workplace. Several challenges face restorative justice practices, such as maintaining a focus on victims’ needs and concerns, articulating a commitment to compassion, and reducing community dependence on professionals such as police and social services. Finally, the main trends in restorative justice practices are explored, including using restorative practices to address larger social harms such as racism and discrimination. References