Source: (2004) Hawaii Bar Journal. May: 4, 6-7, 9-15. Downloaded 26 January 2005.
According to Lorenn Walker and Leslie Hayashi, the purpose of restorative justice is to address the needs of victims, offenders, and the community after wrongdoing has occurred. While the modern restorative justice movement has origins in the 1970s in Western societies, the concepts and practices of restorative justice are not new nor solely Western. Walker and Hayashi maintain that many indigenous cultures, including Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, have long practiced these ideas and values, and continue to do so. Against this background, the authors note the Hawaiian state judiciary’s commitment to operate in accord with restorative justice and the concept of pono kaulike (equal rights and justice for all). This commitment led in 2002 to the establishment of a pilot restorative justice program in the District Court of the First Circuit in Honolulu, described herein by Walker and Hayashi.
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