Abstract
This article will examine understandings that underpin restorative justice outcomes for participants in order to propose that restorative justice conferences may provide better outcomes for participants than the formal courts of the criminal justice system. The analysis will attempt to shed light on the benefits of the restorative justice conferencing process. These benefits will be shown to include positive individual and community outcomes, which ‘restore’ participants in a manner which may be closer to concepts of ‘justice’ than the formal court process.
Highlights
This article proposes that a victim-centered and community-orientated approach to justice could possibly provide greater satisfaction with outcomes than the traditional formal approach
The article will highlight issues of power that have emerged in the formal court system while outlining potential possibilities which may be found within the restorative approach
This discussion details the disparity between the restorative approach, which can be seen to be focused on both victims and offenders, and the more rigorous and punitive frameworks of the criminal justice system
Summary
This article proposes that a victim-centered and community-orientated approach to justice could possibly provide greater satisfaction with outcomes than the traditional formal approach. The article will highlight issues of power that have emerged in the formal court system while outlining potential possibilities which may be found within the restorative approach. The article will present a comparative analysis between formal and informal processes in the criminal justice system to illuminate the potential for achieving victim-orientated outcomes from justice systems.. We can examine a movement dedicated to restorative justice as a platform for community-based justice This discussion incorporates the background to the restorative justice movement, outlining intersections between aspects of the restorative justice movement and civil society. Any debate about justice in the community needs to recognize the extent that levels of social inequity have had on all levels of society due to increased neoliberalism. This in turn has created levels of inequality in the criminal justice system
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
