Restorative justice is a process for addressing harms that focuses on restitution to those who have been harmed and accountability on the part of those who have caused harm.
For a comprehensive introduction to restorative justice, read Daniel Van Ness and Karen Heetderks Strong’s textbook, Restoring Justice: An Introduction to Restorative Justice, or this shorter report.
Want to know more about the difference between victim-offender mediation, community reparative boards, family group conferencing, and circle sentencing? Read this report.
Restorative justice requires restorative policing, as well, and has potential for use in circumstances of abuse or domestic violence.
Videos:
* How can restorative justice be introduced to a criminal justice system that uses retributive punishment?
* What is restorative justice restoring, exactly?
* Restorative justice aligns with our natural sense of justice and fairness.
For more information, see the history of restorative justice, restorative justice in the US, or restorative justice internationally.