Restorative Justice

What is the point of sending people to prison on the tax payer’s dime if there is no goal of rehabilitation and re-entry into society? Why are people (mainly people of color) who commit non-violent crimes given outlandishly long sentences with no opportunity for redemption? I pose these questions to myself often and cannot seem to find the answers.

Today’s justice system is strictly focused on punishing perpetrators for breaking the law and committing crimes. Perpetrators of violent crimes are often given life-long prison sentences or sometimes even the death penalty as a punishment for their crimes. Perpetrators of low-level or non-violent crimes are also often sentenced to unreasonably long prison sentences. Our current justice system places no emphasis on rehabilitation or prevention of recidivism for the offenders. In order to remedy these defects of our current criminal justice system, an alternative known as restorative justice has been introduced.

Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender. Restorative justice is unique in the fact that there is a significant amount victim involvement. Along with victims playing an active role in the entire process, the offenders are urged to take true responsibility for their actions. Some of the components of restorative justice include victim offender mediation, conferencing, group circles, victim assistance, offender assistance, restitution, and community service. Restorative justice is not a way for the offender to escape punishment, but a way to rehabilitate both the offender and victim along with the punishment.

Restorative justice can have many benefits for not only the offender, but the victim and the community as well. According to a study conducted by Missouri State University, offenders who have participated in restorative justice programs have lower re-offense rates. When looking at the ways in which the community benefits from restorative justice programs, the study found that the community benefits due to an increased sense of involvement in the methods by which crime is addressed in that there is greater collaboration among community members. The community also has greater satisfaction for and increased confidence with the criminal justice system.

When discussing the topic of restorative justice with my roommate, she reminded me of a very important point. She said, “Restorative justice isn’t only used to address issues of the criminal justice system but it can be used with the youth in schools as well.” She was absolutely correct. In fact, Larry Ferlazzo states that “restorative justice is viewed as an alternative to the typical punish or suspend method of discipline that has been historically used, and which have also been found to disproportionately punish students of color.” Restorative justice should be implemented in all grade schools. Having these programs in schools could potentially remedy the issue of the school to prison pipeline that currently exists. As a whole, restorative justice is the next logical step toward improving our often corrupt criminal justice system.