40 Cases. Restorative Justice and Victim-Offender Mediation

Source: (2003) Bristol: Mediation UK.

Paul Crosland and Marian Liebmann are editors of this book, a collection of forty case studies in restorative justice and victim-offender mediation (VOM). The editors’ aim in this collection is to present for examination and reflection the intersection of restorative justice vision and actual practice when victims, offenders, and communities address the aftermath of a crime. The cases represent a wide range of offenses, thus addressing one of the significant questions about restorative justice; namely, what criminal cases are appropriate for restorative work. The case studies in this book enable the reader to view and scrutinize the real-life application of restorative justice theory. The studies are organized into the following types or categories of VOM response to crime: diversion; reprimand and final warning; preparation of a pre-sentence report; serving a community sentence; serving a custodial sentence; and post custody. In general, the presentation of the studies includes the nature of the offense, a summary of the case, a description of the restorative justice process used to deal with the offense and its aftermath, and reflections on key issues with respect to the application of restorative justice in the particular circumstances. The book should be of particular interest to practitioners, policy makers, and interested professionals.