Juvenile Justice Reform and Restorative Justice: Building Theory and Policy from Practice

Source: (2005) Devon, UK and Portland, OR, USA: Willan Publishing.

The study’s goal was to advance practice, policy, theory, and research in restorative decisionmaking by improving the “fit” among these domains. This national case study featured a quantitative national program inventory and survey, along with a qualitative study that included interviews with a national sample of practitioners, participant observation, and interviews in several communities in two States (Colorado and Minnesota) active in restorative justice decisionmaking. The first chapter of this book defines restorative group conferencing in the context of a larger restorative justice movement and body of practice and policy, followed by a chapter that includes an inventory of the intervention theories that may inform practitioners’ work as they anticipate restorative conferencing outcomes. The third chapter presents exploratory descriptive data on the prevalence of restorative conferencing in the United States, with attention to various conferencing models. A presentation and discussion of the qualitative component of the research begins with chapter 4, as it presents the research design for the qualitative study and describes primary and secondary units of analysis and the qualitative sampling protocol. The next three chapters present the data pertinent to how practitioners understand and apply the principles and related theories of restorative justice. The concluding chapter synthesizes theories of practice and considers definitions of “success” that relate to theories of intervention. Conclusions are drawn about the current state of restorative conferencing in the United States and the application of theory to practice in conferencing experiences. Further, the chapter presents issues, propositions, and concerns for future research, policy, and practice. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.