Restorative Justice Mediated Dialog

Source: (2006) In, Harrman, Margaret S., editor, Handbook of Mediation: Bridging Theory, Research, and Practice. Blackwell Publishing pp. 175-188

Restorative justice mediated dialogue is a conceptual frame that has utility for grouping and describing efforts at resolving conflict by engaging persons in face-to-face exchange. These approaches to conflict resolution have evolved out of the process of working with victims and criminal offenders. Today, these approaches are used at community levels to reduce or prevent the likely hood of offenses, for example, in acts of hate, as attempts to divert offenders from the formal justice system, at the point of pre-sentence, after conviction, and even as institutionalized offenders attempt to reintegrate into the community. These approaches are also used to resolve conflicts that never come to the attention of the formal social control bodies, such as neighborhood conflicts that could lead to criminal charges. Some of these approaches following extensive preparation over many months have even been used to respond to requests of people who have survived an act of violence. These approaches allow victims, or a surviving family member of a loved one who was murdered, to seek answers and express their pain. (excerpt)