Examples of restorative justice programs

I asked him why he abused me. He said he picked me because I was the youngest sibling and therefore the easiest to manipulate. He said he didn't choose [to form a relations I would like to thank all the members of The Sycamore Tree program, for the opportunity you have given me to better myself, and for the time you have all invested in me.

I'm a long-term prisoner here. Four men were charged with the attack, but instead of pushing for a harsh jail sentence, the two victims proposed something else: a face-to-face meeting with the perpetrators. The idea is based on a process called restorative justice. In a country where criminal justice often involves harsh penalties like jail time and steep fines, restorative justice asks everyone impacted by a conflict or a crime to develop a shared understanding of both its root causes and effects.

Restorative justice considers the harm done and strives for agreement from all concerned parties on how to make amends. In the U. In many cases, offenders and victims face one another and discuss the reasons underpinning a crime and also work on potential solutions. But other models of restorative justice might include roundtable discussions or community involvement. All rights reserved. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published.

Stay Connected to PON. Preparing for Negotiation. Join a Coalition. Resources Podcasts Videos Webcasts. Send this to a friend. This stands in contrast to most methods of justice, which tend to focus on punishment and retribution.

Restorative justice can and has been implemented into existing structures. A study in found that restorative justice programs have both the highest rate of victim satisfaction and offender accountability of any justice method. Here are five examples of this concept in practice:. Victim assistance, as the name implies, focuses on the victims and survivors of crime. These programs provide services that address a variety of concerns. That includes navigating the criminal justice process and emotional recovery.

There are two main focuses: the legal rights of victims and the personal crises that result from a crime. With their knowledge and experience, advocates work on behalf of victims who most likely do not understand the nitty-gritty of the system.

Being the victim of crime is often traumatic. That trauma can make daily tasks and responsibilities challenging. Community support groups and mental health services can step in, offering psychological help and physical resources.

When someone commits a crime, they are harming the victims and the community as a whole. To be productive, community service must focus on accountability as opposed to punishment.