Restorative Justice," the Philosophy Behind

¶ … Restorative Justice," the philosophy behind this theory of criminology is one of "a systematic response to wrongdoing that emphasizes healing the wounds of victims, offenders and communities caused or revealed by the criminal behavior." ("What is Restorative Justice," 2004, Restorative Justice.org) Thus, whenever one hears the phrase 'victims rights' in the media today, one is essentially hearing the vocabulary and rhetoric of the restorative justice philosophy.

This system of understanding the priorities of the criminal justice system stresses healing the victims rather than focusing on the rights or needs of the perpetrators of crime. It focuses on "identifying and taking steps to repair harm" upon the souls of victims of crime.

In terms of judicial practice, restorative justice advocates feel that those individuals who are "most directly involved and affected by crime should have the opportunity to participate fully in the response if they wish." Whenever one hears the victim or the family of a victim read a statement during a sentencing hearing, one witnesses the philosophy of restorative justice in action. ("What is Restorative Justice," 2004, Restorative Justice.org) Restorative justice is not necessarily conservative in orientation, although this definition may make it seem so.

It also focuses on transforming the traditional relationship between communities and their governments in responding to crime. It focuses on victim mediation and conferencing between convicted criminals and victims, and stresses the need to create opportunities for victims, offenders and community members to meet to discuss the crime and its aftermath, and the need for offenders to take active and constructive steps to repair the harm they have caused by making amends. Such steps may help heal the offenders as well as the victims, but ultimately restorative.