Back to RJ Archive

Is restorative justice appropriate for persons with mental health problems?

Drogin, Eric Y
June 4, 2015

Source: (2001) Paper presented at the Restorative and Community Justice: Inspiring the Future conference, held in Winchester, England, 28-31 March.

Eric Drogin and Mark Howard bring unusual experience to the question of the appropriateness of restorative justice for persons with mental health problems. Drogin is both an attorney and a psychologist; Howard is an assistant U.S. attorney and an adjunct professor of criminal law. In their perspective, restorative justice focuses on education, empowerment, and reintegration of both victims and offenders. When feasible and useful, restorative justice promotes a collaborative, mediated dialogue between parties. Against this background, Drogin and Howard consider the extent to which restorative justice principles and techniques are appropriate for persons with mental health problems. They do so by looking at mediation and psychotherapy, as well as examples of mental illness and responses to those illnesses.

Tags:

Abstract
Support the cause

We've Been Restoring Justice for More Than 40 Years

Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.

Donate Now