Communities and the Justice System: Turning the Relationship Upside Down

Source: Perspectives on Restorative Justice. Restorative Jutice On-line Notebook.

In this article Kay Pranis remarks that her work in restorative justice has led to extensive consideration of the nature of community, the effect of crime on the community fabric, the responsibility of the community, and the relationship of the community to all service systems. She concludes, for example, that increasing reliance on the criminal justice system has weakened communities. Hence, the question of redefining the relationship between communities and professional systems has become a central concern for her. In this article, then, Pranis seeks to describe a new relationship – indeed, a reversal of roles – between the community and the justice system.