Sentencing Restorative Justice (Compensation For Victims Of Crime And Victim Empowerment)

Source: (1997) Issue Paper 7. Project 82.

The purpose of this issue paper is to consider the question of restorative justice which includes a consideration of the involvement of victims of crime in the criminal justice process, reparation to victims of crime and community participation in the criminal justice process and to determine whether there is a need for legislative reform. In recent times there has been interest in a new way of doing justice. The desire has been expressed to return to more traditional systems of justice which give greater prominence to the victim, greater emphasis on the issue of redress and community involvement in the fight against crime and healing of the community. When crimes are committed communities feel violated as well and they have needs too. One cannot ignore the public dimension of crime and therefore the justice process cannot be fully private.