Restorative Justice

For centuries, crime has been understood as a violation against the state or its laws, and this has influenced the design of the criminal justice system. Restorative justice is an emerging model that offers an alternative approach. The term was coined by Howard Zehr in his 1990 book, Changing Lenses, to describe a new philosophy for resolving criminal events through practices that are nonretributive and operate outside the punitive paradigm. In this model, crime is viewed as an offense against relationships. The primary victim is the one most harmed; the community, family, and loved ones are important secondary victims.

For centuries, crime has been understood as a violation against the state or its laws, and this has influenced the design of the criminal justice system. Restorative justice is an emerging model that offers an alternative approach. The term was coined by Howard Zehr in his 1990 book, Changing Lenses, to describe a new philosophy for resolving criminal events through practices that are nonretributive and operate outside the punitive paradigm. In this model, crime is viewed as an offense against relationships. The primary victim is the one most harmed; the community, family, and loved ones are important secondary victims.

New Zealand, Vermont, and Canada are among the places experimenting with restorative justice. The U.S. federal government is getting involved and is particularly interested in using the approach with juvenile offenders. Over time, perhaps this innovation will change the criminal justice system forever.

From "Circles" By Shanti Thakur, 1997