Restorative justice programmes

Question 1

Restorative justice programmes

Answer 1

• Relatively new
• Aim - offender realise implications of their actions for the victim
• Improve relationship with victim and community by repairing harm
• Addresses victim’s need - help recovery
• Used with (serious) or instead of custodial sentencing

Question 2

How it begins?

Answer 2

• Seek cooperation from victim and offender

- Doesn’t work if not interested

Question 3

Method

Answer 3

• Face-to-face meetings, mediation or indirect mediation set up
• Victim and offender communicate in a controlled setting
• Victim asks for answers and say what they want in a neutral setting

Question 4

Practical reparation

Answer 4

• Offender repairs damage they have caused
• Used when there is vandalism
• ‘Wrong’ against community is rectified.

Question 5

Evaluation - strengths

Answer 5

• Cheaper than custodial sentencing

- Advantageous practically and psychologically helpful to the victim

Question 6

Evaluation - limitations

Answer 6

• Problem with satisfaction levels expressed by victims and offenders
• Self-selection bias in that both need to be willing to enter the programme
• May work for some but not all
• Limits applicability of this type of punishment
• High level of attrition - both victim and offender find it harder to complete than they originally thought
• Victim - not fulfilled