1st Edition

Restorative Justice in Practice Evaluating What Works for Victims and Offenders

240 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Willan

240 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Willan

240 Pages 1 B/W Illustrations
by Willan

Restorative justice has made significant progress in recent years and now plays an increasingly important role in and alongside the criminal justice systems of a number of countries in different parts of the world. In many cases, however, successes and failures, strengths and weaknesses have not been evaluated sufficiently systematically and comprehensively, and it has been difficult to gain an... Read more

1. Setting the Scene  2. Setting the Schemes in Context: A Review of the Aims, Histories and Results of Restorative Justice  3. Setting Up and Running Restorative Justice Schemes  4. Accountability, Regulation and Risk  Experiencing Restorative Justice  5. Approaching Restorative Justice  6. Through a Different Lens: Examining Restorative Justice Using Case Studies  7. During Restorative Justice Events  Looking Back at Restorative Justice: What Do People Think it Achieved?  8. The Victims’ View: Satisfaction and Closure  9. Outcome Agreements and their Progress  10. The Offenders’ View: Reoffending and the Road to Desistance  11. Restorative Justice: Lessons from Practice

Biography

Joanna Shapland is Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Law, University of Sheffield, and Head of the School of Law; Gwen Robinson is Senior Lecturer in Criminal Justice in the School of Law at the University of Sheffield; Angela Sorsby is a freelance criminologist specialising in data analysis and statistics.

"This seven year study is the most important research evidence on restorative justice (RJ) in this country. The work challenges some of the myths around restorative justice  for example the finding that 70% of victims of serious crimes chose to meet the offender when this was offered to them, challenges the prevailing view that RJ is only appropriate for less serious crime. Her research has confirmed earlier findings of the strong victim benefits from restorative justice; and provided new evidence for the impact of RJ in reducing re-offending, leading to cost-savings across Criminal Justice. This book will provide essential reading for policy makers interested in evidence-based policy; for criminal justice agencies seeking to give victims a stronger voice in justice; and includes a wealth of information for practitioners who want to know 'what works' and base their restorative practice on the evidence."Lizzie Nelson, Director, Restorative Justice Council

'This book provides a state-of-the-art analysis of restorative justice, conferences, and mediation for serious cases and adult offenders.  It is essential reading for policymakers and practitioners who wish to develop restorative justice schemes that work alongside conventional criminal justice.  Its comprehensive and measured analysis is a welcome addition to the research literature.  This is a scholarly treatment of restorative justice for the real world and ways to move it from the margins to the mainstream of criminal justice.' – Kathleen Daly, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University, Australia

'The authors promised to provide "essential reading" for students and practioners. They have met that promise in regard to both their description of applications of RJ in the adult justice system (pre-trial, during sentencing formulation, and post sentencing) and in their many probing questions regarding RJ in general.' 
-Eric Assur, in the Restorative Justice Online blog, 2 March 2012