Restorative justice Flashcards
What does restorative justice involve?
A supervised mediation meeting between the victim and the offender with a trained mediator.
What is the victim given the opportunity to do?
Confront the offender and explain the impact the crime has had on their life
What does this mean the offender has to do?
Face up to the consequences of their actions and start the rehabilitation process
What are the key features of the process?
- Focus on acceptance of responsibility and positive change for people who harm others, less emphasis on punishment
- Not restricted to courtroom survivors and offenders may voluntarily choose to meet up in a face to face non courtroom setting
- Active rather than a passive involvement of all parties in the process wherever possible
- Focus on positive outcomes for survivors or those engaged in wrongdoing
What variations of the process are there?
Financial restitution that represents the psychological damage done as physical damage.
An add on to community service or an incentive to reduce prison sentences
What are the aims of restorative justice?
Rehabilitation of offenders
Atonement for wrongdoing
Victim’s perspective
What is rehabilitation of offenders?
It is tough for the offender to listen to the impact of their crimes on the victim and take responsibility for their action .
Should reduce the likelihood of them reoffending
What is atonement for wrongdoing?
Offenders may offer concrete compensation (money or unpaid work) or atone by showing genuine feelings of guilt and remorse
What is victims perspective?
Restores power to the victim.
Allows their voice to be heard in the legal process and feel that their feelings have been taken into account
Who is restorative justice tough for?
Both offenders and victims
What percentage, according to the UK Restorative Justice council (2015), of victims say they were satisfied with their taking part in the meetings?
85%
What are the strengths of restorative
The programme is diverse so it can be adapted to fit the needs of the individual
What did Sherman and Strang (2007) find?
They reviewed 20 studies, involving 142 men convicted of property and violence offences who has taken part in restorative justice.
Only 11% went on to reoffend
Compared to 37% of matched control group who did
What did Shapland (2007) conclude?
Cost effective - For every £1 spend on restorative justice, the government would save £8 through reduced reoffending
How is offenders having to feel genuine remorse a limitation?
It is not suitable for all criminals and crimes
Only works when there is an obvious victim
