Objectives of restorative justice PDF

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Objectives of restorative justice...

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Objectives of restorative justice More specifically, restorative justice practitioners tend to agree that what truly makes a particular response to crime a “restorative” one is not so much a specific practice or process, but rather its adherence to a set of broad objectives that provide a common basis for the participation of parties in responding to a criminal incident and its consequences. The objectives of restorative justice programmes have been stated in a number of different ways, but essentially contain the following key elements: (a) Supporting victims, giving them a voice, encouraging them to express their needs, enabling them to participate in the resolution process and offering them assistance. For the last two decades or so criminal justice systems have been called upon to focus more directly on the needs and interests of victims. In 1985, the General Assembly adopted a Declaration of Basic Principles on Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power which stated that “informal mechanisms for the resolution of disputes, including.

mediation, arbitration and customary justice or indigenous practices, should be utilized where appropriate to facilitate conciliation and redress for victims”. We now know much more about the needs of victims of crime and the ways in which the criminal justice system may address these needs (e.g. the need for information, participation, expression, empathy, redress, restoration of a sense of control and

security, etc.). However, there remain frequent complaints that the formal criminal justice process ignores the victims’ needs and wishes. By contrast, a restorative justice process is often uniquely suited to address many of the victims’ most important needs. In particular, the formal justice process is not designed to allow victims to describe the nature and consequences of the crime, let alone to ask questions of the offender. The restorative justice model can support a process where the victims’ views and interests count, where they can participate and be treated fairly and respectfully and receive restoration and redress. By participating in the decision-making, victims have a say in determining what would be an acceptable outcome for the process and are able to take steps toward closure.

Repairing the relationships damaged by the crime, in part by arriving at a consensus on how best to respond to it. In fact, it is often argued that the focus of the response should not be solely on the criminal incident, but rather on the relationships that it affected or damaged. Strengthening the community can sometimes prevent further harm. A key feature of restorative justice is that the response to criminal behaviour focuses on more than just the offender and the offence. Peacemaking, dispute resolution and rebuilding relationships are viewed as the primary methods for achieving justice and supporting the victim, the offender and for interests of the community. It can also be helpful for identifying underlying causes of crime and developing crime prevention strategies....