Restorative Justice Essay

1969 Words8 Pages
Abstract Restorative justice programs are more beneficial than traditional means of justice. This paper illustrates the many benefits of restorative justice and how it helps restore all parties involved. Too often, the victim either is felt to be the one on trial or is left out of the equation all together. Restorative justice allows the victim to have a voice and be a part of the process. The restorative justice model has been shown to be effective in Canada and has reduced recidivism rates quite remarkably. Restorative justice allows the offender to be accepted back into society. This process has been shown to help heal the divide that the crime has caused. The focus of society should be to allow the offender to make amends for the crime(s) that he or she caused and not to "lock them up and throw away the key". This process does not work as recidivism rates show. Introduction According to the Encyclopedia of Victimology and Crime Prevention (2010), the most quoted definition for restorative justice is, "Restorative justice is a process whereby all the parties with a stake in a particular offense come together to resolve collectively how to deal with the aftermath of the offense and its implications for the future (p. 780)." While traditional justice methods focus on retribution, restorative justice methods focus on the reentry of a criminal back into society. In this way and more, restorative justice is more effective than traditional methods. History of Restorative Justice Restorative justice began in Canada in 1974 by Mark Yantzi who was a Mennonite that was asked to fill in as a probation officer. Yantzi was disillusioned with the court process and believed offenders should be able to meet their offenders and take responsibility for their actions. Elmira, Ont. was a church community in which everyone trusted everyone
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