Restorative justice has a high rate of success in reducing repeat offenses. When communities reintegrate their citizens after harm has been repaired, the likelihood of recidivism is greatly reduced. People who have offended have the opportunity to make things right, learn from the process, and put the matter behind them, so they can more easily go on to lead a crime-free life. Increased safety. With reduced recidivism comes a safer community. Restorative justice empowers individuals to make their neighborhoods and towns safer and more pleasant places to live.
Cost effectiveness. A restorative approach to crime saves the state money by preventing individuals from becoming part of the criminal justice system for offenses that can be resolved at the local level with community and victim participation.
A stronger community. In addition to enhancing the safety and well being of a town or region, community justice centers help to establish a more active citizenship.
Volunteering has been shown to build stronger and more cohesive communities and increase the social networks within towns and neighborhoods. When victims are offered the opportunity to have a safe and facilitated dialogue with the person who harmed them, they feel empowered and invested in the process.
Meaningful dialogue. Victims are given the opportunity to explain how they were harmed, get answers to their questions, and state what they need the offender to do to make amends. Recovery and satisfaction. Restorative justice boasts a high rate of victim satisfaction. Many are able to recover what was taken from them, whether it be material possessions or their sense of security and peace of mind. They are more likely to be able to move on from the incident and get back to their daily lives.
An opportunity to make it right. Perceived disadvantages include a failure to prevent future crimes and a similar failure to impose penalties. The approach has its fair share of proponents and critics, but exactly how well does this approach work in achieving its goals? It also holds offenders to account for what they have done and helps them to take responsibility and make amends.
The idea behind restorative justice is not to excuse offenders from the consequences of their actions or for them to obtain forgiveness but to provide an opportunity for the victim and offender to communicate. In the case of non-violent or minor offenses, restorative justice may provide an opportunity to deal with a case outside of court.
In other situations, the justice system will proceed forward with scheduled hearings, but restorative justice will be utilized as a supplement to that process. Some judges may allow an opportunity for restorative justice before sentencing, while others consider working a form of restorative justice into a community service sentence for an offender. In more serious situations in which the offender is sent to prison, restorative justice might happen either during their sentence or after their release.
It may occur through a monitored conference in a safe environment, through letters, or through recorded interviews or videos. In the traditional justice system, victims of crimes rarely have the opportunity to communicate with the offenders who harmed them.
This reality sometimes leaves them with questions they wish they could ask the offender or things they wish they had the opportunity to say to gain closure or catharsis. Sometimes offenders may even wish they had an opportunity to apologize or explain the circumstances surrounding their actions. Restorative justice is meant to provide both sides with a chance for closure. The Centre for Justice and Reconciliation explains the three main goals of the restorative justice process:. While it may offer certain benefits, there are also limits to what restorative justice can accomplish.
One major example lies in the case of violent crimes. This is an area where facts and emotions can become complicated very quickly, depending on the circumstances. In the case of a violent crime in which the victim and offender knew each other before the incident took place, the victim may want no further contact with the offender. In cases in which violence became a pattern, such as in a domestic abuse situation, attempts at preserving a toxic victim-offender relationship may be much more dangerous than potentially helpful.
0コメント