Justified Criticism, Misunderstanding, or Important Steps on the Road to Acceptance?

Source: (2002) In, Elmar G.M. Weitekamp and Han-Jurgen Kerner, Restorative Justice: Theoretical Foundations. Deon, UK: Willan Publishing. Pp. 50-70.

With the restorative justice movement being more than two decades old, it has generated considerable discussion and scrutiny among advocates, critics, and those in between. Martin Wright and Guy Masters look at various questions and criticisms being raised about restorative justice. Do some questions and criticisms represent candid and accurate assessments of real issues concerning principles and practices of restorative justice? Or, do some questions and criticisms rest on misunderstandings in that they refer to practices touted as restorative justice, but which Wright and Masters consider to be bad restorative practices? And, do some point to genuine pitfalls that restorative approaches must resolve or avoid in order to be truly restorative? In this context, Wright and Masters concentrate on two recent commentaries on restorative justice. One, from the United Kingdom, expresses reservations about restorative justice from the perspective of victims’ concerns. The other, from America, cautions about restorative justice from an offender-based, due process perspective.