Restorative justice is an approach within the criminal authority system that presents alternative ways to reach law. This technique aims to maintain equity by organizing negotiations between victim and offender, during which they will discuss the most efficient conditions that would satisfy both parties. Restorative methods include acknowledgment, apology, and compensation to the injured party and the means to reintegrate the responsible party into society. This approach provides alternative ways to restore justice, which can be more healing than an official verdict by the judge.
In my opinion, restorative authority helps to make the criminal judge system more humane and flexible. This movement allows the victim to be involved in the therapeutic procedures, communicate their requirements, and receive empathy from the offender and willingness to take responsibility for their actions. This method provides more room for healing and reconciliation for the involved parties, eventually contributing to a healthy community.
Restorative justice has been crucial and effective in Canada for over 40 years. Canadian restorative law philosophy is formed on the following principles: the perpetrator has a responsibility to fix the damage, the victim has a right to be at the center of the authority restoration process, and the community has a role in repairing the damage and setting conditions (“Principles and Guidelines for Restorative Justice Practice in Criminal Matters,” 2018). The restorative fairness approach has made the Canadian criminal law system more humane and just.
In the rest of the world restorative equity has become a prominent part of the global criminal justice system in the last thirty years. In some Middle Eastern countries, restorative law systems function autonomously and are based on indigenous conceptions of integrity that have been present for thousands of years. Whereas in other countries like England and Austria, restorative justice procedures operate as a part of the legal authority system and depend on its rules and guidelines (Van-Ness, 2005, p.13). In many cases, countries worldwide find this approach practical, and its presence increases yearly.
To conclude, the restorative equity system is a humane and flexible way of addressing injustice. It places the demands and needs of the victim at the center of fairness restoration processes and highlights the importance of the community’s role. For several decades now, Canada has been reaping the benefits of this approach. Whereas in the rest of the world, the scope and presence of restorative justice are expanding.
References
Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat. (2018). Principles and Guidelines for Restorative Justice Practice in Criminal Matters. In Federal-Provincial-Territorial Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety 831-221. St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Web.
Van-Ness, D.W. (2005). Eleventh United National Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice