Restorative Justice Programmes Content

Question 1

What are the 3 aims of restorative justice?

Answer 1

. Rehabilitate offenders
. Atonement for wrongdoing
. Victim’s perspective

Question 2

What is restorative justice?

Answer 2

A way of dealing with offending by seeking to achieve justice for the victim’s family by repairing the harm done by the offender rather than punishing them
- the process usually involves communication with the victim, but can sometimes simply be payment as a reparation

Restorative justice is often an offer instead of a prison sentence, if the victim agrees

Question 3

How is restorative justice usually carried out?

Answer 3

Interaction between offender and victim e.g video conference or face-to-face meeting in the presence of an impartial facilitator

Question 4

Which main aims of custodial sentencing can restorative justice cover?

Answer 4

. Rehabilitation of offenders
. Atonement for wrongdoing

Question 5

How can restorative justice help rehabilitate offenders?

Answer 5

. Victim can explain the impact of the crime and allow the offender to understand the effects on the victim
. It may teach the offender to put themselves in other people’s shoe’s, reducing the chance of reoffending
. The offender is actively encouraged to take responsibility, meaning it is more impactful on their future behaviour than the passive process of punishment

Question 6

How can restorative justice show the offenders atonement for wrongdoing?

Answer 6

. Offender may offer concrete compensation for the crime e.g money
. The offender has an opportunity to show their feelings of guilt and an understanding of the effects of their action
. The victim has a chance to express their distress, which can hit very hard for the offender and help rehabilitate and reduce recidivism