What is Restorative Justice?
Restorative Justice (RJ) is based on a theory of justice that focuses on crime and wrong-doing as acted against the individual or community rather than the state. It emphasizes repairing harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. In RJ processes, the person who has done harm (offender) and the person who has been harmed (victim) take an active role. The victim may receive an apology, direct reparation or indirect action to restore or fix the damage. Restorative Justice involves a fostering of dialogue between the offender and the victim, and has shown the highest rates of victim satisfaction, true accountability by the offender, and reduced recidivism.
