Question

• Reflect on how the use of restorative justice influences and affects the various individuals involved in the criminal justice system, including but not limited to, law enforcement, court officers, corrections officers, victims, and defendants.

Answer 1

Restorative justice is a way of responding to crime.restorative justice give emphasis to repairing the damage caused by the wrongful action and restoring, the well-being of all those involved.it is not a new idea. it is a common form of justice around the world for centuries.But it’s quite different from the punitive system most of us are familiar with. Restorative justice is called 'restorative' because it employs restorative processes, that is, processes that restore agency, ownership and decision-making power to those directly affected by the harmful event. instead of giving all responsibility to the state or to legal professionals, it aims to engage the immediate participants in resolving the harm.

Usually victim does not play an active role in a punitive system of justice. In a restorative system, all parties are included in the court’s proceedings and the justice process.It give importance to inclusion of both parties. When both parties agree, the defendant and the victim come together, discuss the crime and its effects, and agree on what happens next. In situations where the parties cannot or will not meet, this step can be augmented or left out.in this kind of system the convicted criminal is expected to make amends through the process of apology and restitution.another important aspect of restorative justice is reintegration. Both the victim and the convicted criminal are given the help they need to reintegrate into their community. Mental health professionals, faith leaders, social workers, and/or peers form support networks designed to mitigate the negative effects of being a victim or help the criminal change his or her ways.

the use of restorative justice influences and affects the various individuals involved in the criminal justice system. restorative justice achieve the central goal of addressing the needs of victims.victims in the traditional justice system are less satisfied than victims in a restorative program.There’s also the issue of victims who have no interest in participating in the justice system. Forcing victims to participate is not an option, and yet without the victim’s participation, restorative justice loses much of its purpose. There is some indication that providing offenders with a more satisfying experience within the justice system may help to lower recidivism rates. A fair amount of research has been undertaken to evaluate offenders’ satisfaction levels and their perceptions of fairness after participating in restorative justice programs. The vast majority of these studies indicate that a high percentage of offenders are both satisfied with restorative programs and see these programs as being fair. Research also indicates that offenders find restorative programs to be more satisfying and fairer than the traditional criminal justice system.correctional officers believe a restorative justice model can reduce recidivism and reduce prison overcrowding.