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Restorative Justice

Restorative justice is a philosophy and practice of responding to wrongdoing that prioritizes repairing harm over punishing offenders, centering the needs and voices of those directly affected by a conflict or crime.

Type: Concept Domain: Social Science Philosophy History Era: 1974 — present

Overview

Rather than determining guilt through adversarial proceedings, it brings together victims, offenders, and community members in structured dialogue — victim-offender mediation, community conferencing, and sentencing circles — to establish accountability and negotiate meaningful repair. It reframes crime not as a violation of law alone but as a rupture in human relationships.

Why it matters

Empirical research consistently shows restorative processes yield higher victim satisfaction, lower reoffending rates, and greater compliance with agreed outcomes compared to conventional sentencing, profoundly influencing criminal justice reform and the design of legal institutions.

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