Victims of Crime and Restorative Justice: The Canadian Experience

Source: (1999) International Review of Victimology. 6(4): 279-294.

Among the industrialized countries of the world, Canada has assumed a leading role in the development of restorative and community-based justice initiatives. These initiatives include some premised on traditional Aboriginal practices which are often developed in remote and isolated communities, as well as programs for non-Aboriginals designed and delivered in urban centers across the country. The article describes several programs that illustrate the issues surrounding victim involvement in restorative/community justice. It also identifies and discusses a number of critical issues surrounding restorative justice and the victims of crime. The article concludes by noting that, while restorative/community justice has the potential to address more adequately the needs and interests of crime victims, a number of issues must be considered to ensure that crime victims are not revictimized. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.