What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice acknowledges that when a person does harm, it affects the people they hurt, the community and themselves. It requires that we address victims’ harms and needs, hold offenders accountable to put right those harms and involve victims, offenders and communities in this process.
Victims Using restorative justice, crime victims are offered more opportunities to regain personal power.
Often victims feel left out of their own cases except possibly as witnesses. In any system victims have needs. They need chances to speak their feelings, experience justice, and have the power restored to them that has been taken away by being harmed. Restorative Justice allows for victim involvement in determining how those needs can best be met.
Offenders In the existing system, offenders are not required to realize the harm they have done.
A restorative justice approach holds offenders directly accountable to victims, helping them confront the personal harm they have caused, and requiring that they make real amends to the victim and the community. They become active participants in reparation.
Community The entire community bears some responsibility for all is members, including the victims and he offender.
In a restorative justice approach, the community is responsible for supporting and assisting victims, holding offenders accountable, and ensuring opportunities for offenders to make amends. Communities are also responsible for addressing the underlying causes of crime to reduce victimization in the future.