Achieving restorative justice: Assessing contrition and forgiveness in the adult conference process

Abstract

This paper examines the key processes and outcomes of a pilot adult restorative justice programme initiated in one Australian state. We focus particularly on the methods used to ‘capture’ expressions of contrition and forgiveness in various conference settings. In addition, we examine the legal and procedural considerations arising from the pilot, and draw, importantly, on victim and offender narratives of ‘the conference experience’. In concluding, we note the substantive potential for restorative justice to play a meaningful role in adult contexts and briefly consider the future for initiatives of this kind.