Beyond the Fear of Crime: Reconciliation as the Basis for Criminal Justice Policy

Source: (1991) In: R. Quinney and H. Pepinsky (eds.), Criminology as Peacemaking . Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, pp. 69-80.

Rehabilitation has been replaced by retribution as the dominant paradigm for criminal justice intervention in the United States during the last two decades. This paper presents a different perspective on different approach, restitution and reconciliation, which is seen as a growing in popularity. Research suggests these approaches are more effective than current repressive measures. The author argues for Christie’s view of conflicts as property, and calls for increased criminological attention to victim’s involvement as part of a larger peacemaking criminology. Five case studies are presented.