Source: (2013) Restorative Justice: An International Journal. 1(1):20-22.
Properly conceived, justice is a holistic concept that includes procedural justice, distributive justice, social justice, and restorative justice, alongside last resort to punitive
justice. That said, all the Christie arguments in favour of reconciliation as an alternative
seem good arguments. We might also note here the greater embrace in United Nations
discourse of ‘reconciliation’ than of ‘restorative justice’, though both are increasingly well
received. On the other hand, in international law discourse, reconciliation tends to be
separated from truth and justice, where justice is narrowly thought to mean punishing
people through criminal trials. Consistent with the Christie concerns, retributivists are
winning against restorativists in the battle for the soul of ‘transitional justice.’ (Excerpt)
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