Book Reviews. Heather Strang and John Braithwaite (eds.), Restorative Justice and Family Violence

Source: (2004) The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology. 41(1): 117-119.

In 2002 Cambridge University Press published Restorative Justice and Family Violence. Edited by Heather Strang and John Braithwaite, the book consists of essays by restorative justice proponents, representatives from the battered women’s movement, Indigenous scholars, and others who claim affiliation to more than one group. In this journal article, Andrew Woolford reviews the book. At the outset of his review, Woolford asserts that false dichotomies – based on simplistic distinctions, naïve notions, and overly optimistic hopes – have plagued restorative justice thinking. In response to criticisms, restorative justice advocates have in recent years developed more subtle and sound elaborations of restorative justice theory and practice. This book, says Woolford, represents this kind of development. From a number of perspectives, the book addresses issues of restorative justice, family violence, and Indigenous sovereignty in a constructive manner.