Proactive Approach To Restorative Justice

Restorative justice can only be effective if those who participate feel comfortable with the process. Often, crime related trauma requires a grace period before victims feel “comfortable” with opening lines of communication. Furthermore, it appears as though victims respond more positively to the process when information is presented to them rather than having to see it out themselves. In regard to protective and proactive approaches to restorative justices, researchers found that victims of serious crime prefer to be proactively informed about restorative justice options so long as the offer respects certain conditions including: clear and complete information regarding the process, the guarantee that participation is voluntary, the process be complementary to judicial proceedings, and for service providers to reach out to them regarding information and options (Van Camp & Wemmers, 2016). A proactive approach
Focus is on repairing harm done to disputing interpersonal or intergroup relationships and to restore the parties back to their condition before the conflict occurred (Moore, 53). The process itself includes the victim, the offender, and a facilitator – typically in a face-to-face setting; support persons such as parents or friends accompanying at times, as well (Armour, 2012). As mediation often implies moral neutrality of disputants, some use the term victim-offender conferencing in lieu of the latter (Zehr, 2004). In any event, the purpose of this process is to give the victim a chance to describe – to the offender - the pain and suffering that resulted from the crime, giving them a sense of closure. The goal for the offender, on the other hand, is acknowledgement and taking responsibility for the harm caused and taking steps to right the