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Restorative justice is a field that focuses on fostering cooperation between authority figures and everyday citizens. It is based on the premise that people will be happier and more cooperative when those in positions of authority do things with them, as opposed to for them or to them, this approach has the potential to improve society and make the world a better, more productive place. Restorative justice practices can be used to great effect in the area of crime and crime prevention. Many programs to deter crime focus only on one area of the problem, such as arresting offenders and punishing them for their crimes. Victims do not always have an active role in the process. Once the police take their statements, victims of crime may not be contacted again until the case goes to trial or is otherwise resolved. In contrast, restorative justice practices focus on the issue of crime as a whole and bring all parties together through processes such as mediation or conferences. A typical mediation would feature offenders, victims and/or their families, and law enforcement officials collaborating and working together to put a stop to the problem. This field of study focuses on fostering dialogue between the victim and the offender as opposed to viewing the offender's crime and wrongdoing as simply an offense against the state whose laws the offender violated. These conferences allow victims and their families to explain how they were affected by an offense. They also allow criminals to explain why they committed these offenses and apologize for any harm they caused. Once these issues have been addressed, the parties can work together to figure out how to repair the harm that has been done and meet their own needs. By allowing victims to take an active role in the process and directly asking offenders to take responsibility for the harm they have caused, restorative justice practices allows society to move forward instead of focusing on abstract concepts such as enforcing legal principles or punishing the offender. Studies have shown that this approach to crime prevention is more effective than traditional law enforcement techniques and provides higher rates of offender accountability and victim satisfaction. In addition to asking the offender to take responsibility for his or her actions, restorative justice practices also offer help to offenders. By providing counseling, mental health care, and rehabilitative programs, this field encourages personal growth instead of focusing on punishment. This helps to decrease the likelihood that the offender will repeat his actions or escalate his crimes. Because of the cold, impersonal nature of jail, simply sentencing an offender to prison time may not truly rehabilitate him. This makes the forms of assistance discussed above extremely important, because they make it more likely that the offender will change his or her ways and become a productive member of society. For more information on restorative justice practices, visit the International Institute for Restorative Practices website at http://www.iirp.edu/what-is-restorative-practices.php.
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