Restorative Justice and Crime Victims

Issues with Current Criminal Justice System

• More than half of violent crime victims don't call the police.
• Many crime survivors' pain goes unhealed.
• The country is good at punishment, which is passive and doesn't require change.
• Incarceration excuses offenders from taking responsibility.
• Core drivers of violence include:
  • Shame
  • Isolation
  • Inability to meet economic needs
  • Exposure to violence.
• Prisons exacerbate these factors, increasing future harm.

Restorative Justice

• Definition: A process to hold offenders accountable and help victims heal.
• Key Questions:
  • What happened?
  • What needs arise from the incident?
  • Whose responsibility is it to meet those needs?
  • How will they meet those needs?
• Requirements:
  • Offenders take responsibility.
  • Actions to repair harm (e.g., school, job, restitution, apology, community service).
  • Commitment not to repeat the harm.

Impact of Restorative Justice

• Used for low-level infractions to serious crimes (e.g., vandalism to murder).
• Focuses on meeting the needs of hurt individuals.
• Provides trauma survivors with answers and validation.
• Offenders can contribute significantly to a survivor's healing process.
• Restorative justice aims to provide maximum safety, which the current system fails to deliver.

Conclusion

• Crime victims and perpetrators deserve processes that lead to healing and accountability.
• Restorative justice can potentially meet these needs and create safer communities, unlike the current criminal justice system.