Source: (2002) In, Lode Walgrave, ed., Restorative Justice and the Law. Devon, UK: Willan Publishing. Pp. 31-67.
Bazemore and O’Brien assert that restorative justice is not clearly connected with current juvenile justice policy and its goals. If restorative justice is to be brought into the mainstream, it is imperative to develop policies and practices that address those widely accepted policy goals without sacrificing restorative justice principles. Bazemore and O’Brien focus in this essay on one of those goals – rehabilitation. In doing so, they do not intend to make restorative justice primarily an offender-oriented approach. Restorative justice seeks to repair the harm of crime; therefore, it is squarely in the category of victim-oriented interventions. However, they believe that the effort to repair the harm can lead to rehabilitation, and in fact is necessary to rehabilitation. With all of this in mind, Bazemore and O’Brien explore changes in thinking and practice that need to occur to develop the potential for restorative values and principles in treatment and rehabilitation.
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