“Responding to Important Questions Related to Restorative Justice.”

Source: (1996) St. Paul, Minnesota: Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, University of Minnesota.

In contrast to many previous reform movements, the restorative justice movement has major implications for system-wide change in how justice is done in American society. Although initiating restorative justice interventions such as victim-offender mediation, family group conferencing, restorative community service, victim panels, and other forms of victim-offender dialog or neighborhood dispute resolution is important, restorative justice emphasizes systemic change. In view of this, many issues are discussed in this paper: whether restorative justice can be implemented in correctional institutions and residential programs; whether restorative justice is a public or private responsibility; the nature of policies and practices that are uniquely restorative; and assessments of the impact of restorative justice.