Restorative Justice and Criminal Justice: Competing or Reconcilable Paradigms

Description

Restorative justice has emerged around the world as a potent challenge to traditional models of criminal justice, and restorative programmes, policies and legislative reforms are being implemented in many Western nations. However, the underlying aims, values and limits of this paradigm remain somewhat uncertain and those advocating restorative justice have rarely engaged in systematic debate with those defending more traditional conceptions of criminal justice. This volume, containing contributions from international scholars, provides an analytic exploration of restorative justice and its potential advantages and disadvantages. Chapters of the book examine the aims and limiting principles that should govern restorative justice, its appropriate scope of application, its social and legal contexts, its practice and impact in a number of jurisdictions and its relation to more traditional criminal-justice conceptions. The contributions should help clarify the aims that restorative justice might reasonably hope to achieve, the limits that should apply in pursuing these aims and how restorative strategies might comport with, or replace, other penal strategies.

Andrew von Hirsch, LLD, is Honorary Professor of Penal Theory and Penal Ethics at the University of Cambridge and Director of the Centre for Penal Theory and Penal Ethics. Julian Roberts is Professor of Criminology at the University of Ottawa. Anthony E Bottoms is the Wolfson Professor of Criminology at the University of Cambridge and Associate Director of the Centre for Penal Theory and Penal Ethics.

...a significant breakthrough in our understanding of restorative justice...It is not only a must read but a touchstone for future debate and research. -- Gilles Renaud * The Canadian Criminal Justice Association Website * ...a welcome publication. -- Hans Henrik Brydensholt * Criminal Law Forum, no. 17 * Discussions of restorative justice as a complement to or alternate to criminal or retributive justice remain in their infancy, yet this collection assures that this critically important discussion moves forward. These thought-provoking essays on a timely topic need to be read by people in the punishment business. Summing up: Highly recommended. -- M.A. Foley, Marywood University * CHOICE * This book is essential reading for anybody interested in the development of restorative justice and the future of criminal justice. Each contribution is significant and well written. -- Gerry Johnstone * Howard Journal of Criminal Justice *