Restorative Justice, Public Safety, and the Supervision of Juvenile Offenders.

Source: (1998) Corrections Management Quarterly. 2(3): 40-48.

The case management approaches that currently determine probation and parole practice in many jurisdictions is too passive to manage risks effectively, is insufficient as a strategy of intervention to build or rebuild ties to the community, and relies on an individual model that attempts to meet multiple offender deficits and needs. However, the literature on what works emphasizes the importance of addressing dynamic risk factors and connecting offenders to networks that facilitate the acquisition of prosocial attitudes, values, and behaviors. Other literature argues persuasively for the need to redefine juvenile justice under a restorative justice approach. This model requires a strategic targeting and redirecting of resources and intervention practices through the active participation of victims and local communities. It also requires a focus on victim reparation and reparative sanctioning. These findings need to be integrated to produce a new paradigm for the supervision of juvenile offenders.