Is There a Need for Canadian Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal Matters?

Source: (2003) Paper presented at the 6th International Conference on Restorative Justice, Vancouver, B.C., June. Downloaded 10 December 2004.

This paper’s title takes the form of a question: “Is There a Need for Canadian Principles on the Use of Restorative Justice Programmes in Criminal matters?â€? Probably most of the people in this dialogue group would say yes as long as the principles were used not to limit local programs but to support and strengthen them such principles could be very helpful in
– guiding local programs and practitioners
– ensuring quality and consistency across cases and across programs
– building confidence in restorative justice among criminal justice officials, others who might refer to local programs, and the public..

CRNetwork and the Department of Justice hope to receive the benefit of the views of restorative justice practitioners attending this conference on this made-in-Canada version of restorative justice principles and guidelines. Abstract courtesy of the Centre for Restorative Justice, Simon Fraser University, www.sfu.ca/cfrj/.