Restorative justice
Definition
A process in which the victim, the offender, and relevant community members meet with a trained facilitator to discuss the harm caused, its impact, and what the offender can do to repair it. The goal is a consensually agreed outcome that addresses the needs of all parties rather than simply applying a predetermined punishment.
Related terms
- Community sentence
- A non-custodial sentence served in the community, typically combining unpaid work requirements, supervision by a probation officer, or rehabilitative programme attendance. The...
- Diversion programme
- A scheme that redirects an alleged offender away from formal prosecution, typically for minor or first-time offending, into an alternative process such...
- Drug court
- A specialist court that diverts substance-dependent offenders from prosecution into supervised treatment, with the judge playing an active monitoring role. Participants who...
- Electronic monitoring
- The use of radio-frequency ankle tags or GPS tracking devices to enforce curfews or geographic exclusion zones as a condition of bail,...
- Family Group Conference (FGC)
- A restorative justice model developed in New Zealand under the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, in which a young...
- Incapacitation
- The justification for imprisonment that focuses on preventing crime during the sentence by removing the offender from society, regardless of whether their...
- Parole
- Conditional early release from a custodial sentence after a portion has been served. The released person remains under supervision and subject to...
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- A recognised psychological disorder that can follow exposure to traumatic events including criminal victimisation. Diagnostic criteria include intrusive re-experiencing, avoidance, negative mood...
- Probation
- A community sentence served under supervision instead of custody. The offender remains in the community subject to conditions: regular reporting, curfews, attendance...
- Recidivism
- The tendency of a person who has been convicted of a crime to reoffend. Measured differently across jurisdictions: by reconviction, by reincarceration,...
- Repeat victimisation
- The empirical pattern in which a small proportion of people or locations experience a disproportionate share of violent incidents. Domestic violence shows...
- Secondary victimisation
- Additional harm caused to a victim through the process of reporting and investigation, such as disbelief, insensitive questioning, or retraumatisation. Fear of...
Explained in these topics
- Alternatives to Custody and Restorative JusticeA process in which the victim, the offender, and relevant community members meet with a trained facilitator to discuss the harm caused, its impact, and what th...
- Corrections and the Criminal Justice System as a WholeAn approach that brings together the offender, the victim, and affected community members to address the harm caused, agree on reparation, and facilitate reint...
- Victim Rights, Support, and the Impact of CrimeA process that brings together victims, offenders, and community members to address harm and agree on how to repair it, as an alternative or supplement to conv...