A study examines the harmful gap between the theory of restorative justice (RJ) and its application in programs in the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. Data were obtained from four surveys of restorative justice practitioners, using a combination of qualitative methodologies, including questionnaire responses, interviews and focus groups.
This is the 2nd edition of Gavrielides’ 2007 monograph “Restorative Justice Theory & Practice: Addressing the Discrepancy”, a ground-breaking book that examines the harmful gap between the restorative justice theory and its application covering the UK, the U.S., Europe, and internationally. Data were obtained from four international surveys with over 300 restorative justice practitioners, using a combination of qualitative methodologies, including questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. The 2nd edition provides critical updates for restorative justice research, policy and practice. Restorative justice projects strive to restore peace after a crime has been committed by involving victims, offenders and community representatives in dialogue. Previous studies reviewed by Dr. Gavrielides have credited these programmes with such benefits as lower recidivism, and higher levels of satisfaction with outcomes among victims, offenders and community representatives, compared to the traditional criminal justice system. However, the author’s seven-year research programme uncovered a pervasive gap between restorative justice principles and current restorative justice operations. This gap is blamed for widespread difficulties such as insufficient funding for restorative justice, inadequate training and accreditation of practitioners, lack of faith and commitment among staff, and a tendency for restorative justice over time to become increasingly similar to the standard criminal justice system. Dr. Gavrielides warns that if these problems are not corrected, the original values and benefits of restorative justice may never be realised. Foreword Part One: Arguing and Analysing the restorative justice literature CHAPTER 1: Restorative theory and practice in context; CHAPTER 2: Restorative justice: The Perplexing concept; CHAPTER 3: The International Dimension of Restorative Justice: From Theory to Policy and Practice; Part Two: Measuring the Gap between the restorative justice theory and practice; CHAPTER 4: The Practitioners’ Account; CHAPTET 5: Evaluating restorative justice CHAPTER 6: Problems in the Practical and Theoretical Development of Restorative Justice; CHAPTER 7: The UK Practitioners’ Account; Part Three: Pushing the Barriers – The application of restorative justice with hate crimes and sexual offences CHAPTER 8: Restorative justice and hate crimes: Addressing the gap between theory, policy and practice; CHAPTER 9: Restorative justice and sexual offending Part Four: Critical Reflections CHAPTER 10: Mind the Gap Between the Restorative Justice Theory and Practice; ——————————————- APPENDIX I. ORIGINAL SAMPLE OF SURVEY I (INTERNATIONAL) APPENDIX II. FINAL SAMPLE OF SURVEY I (INTERNATIONAL) APPENDIX III. SAMPLE OF SURVEY II (ENGLAND AND WALES) APPENDIX IV. SAMPLE OF SURVEY III APPENDIX V. SAMPLE OF SURVEY IV APPENDIX VI. CHRONOLOGY OF SEXUAL ABUSE CASES AGAINST THE NORTH AMERICAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BIBLIOGRAPHY Book Reviews “In a time when restorative justice has been embraced with unbridled enthusiasm by virtually every criminal justice network and dispute resolution stakeholder outside of the criminal justice system, Theo Gavrielides presents us with an original, comprehensive, and essential examination of the subject. This work should be read by anyone and everyone who is the least bit interested in the future health of the restorative justice movement.” Prof. John Winterdyk, Ph.D. Department of Justice Studies, Chair, Mount Royal College, Canada “Theo Gavrielides has provided a constructive and thought-provoking contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of one of the most significant contemporary developments in thinking about criminal justice.” Professor Nicola Lacey, LSE, UK “Restorative justice is a noble concept, but if the actual practice does not match the ideal, it could be discredited. That would be a great loss. Theo Gavrielides has brought together some challenging thoughts about this danger…” Dr. Martin Wright, European Forum of restorative justice and Restorative Justice Consortium, UK and EU It is a concise, engaging, innovative and informative book for practitioners and scholars. This comprehensive introduction to restorative justice provides a much-needed textbook for an increasingly popular area of study and practice, which can be used as a basis for further theoretical development and elaboration on the concept’s limitations and accountability. Dr. Effi Lambropoulou Professor of Criminology Department of Sociology, Panteion University of Social and Politic, Greece As a restorative justice practitioner for ten years, I continue to be impressed with the in-depth research Theo Gavrielides does in the field of restorative justice. He meets the challenges with provocative and cutting edge topics directly and succinctly… The struggle of theory vs. practice has been a difficult one in the field since restorative justice began mostly with practice. Gavrielides approaches this struggle with wisdom of historical roots and with encouragement that restorative justice is developing theory to catch up with practice. Linda Harvey Program Director and Founder of the Restorative Justice Council on Sexual Misconduct in Faith Communities, USA “Dr. Theo Gavrielides’ book provides a special journey from the underlying theoretical foundations to the daily practice of restorative justice. By his thought-provoking and critical approach, he gifts the restorative justice field with an essential analysis that bridges theory and practice in an interdisciplinary and multisectoral way” Borbala Fellegi, researcher and lecturer at the ELTE University, consultant of the Ministry of Justice in Hungary in the field of restorative justice, Hungary
Restorative Justice Today: Applications of Restorative Interventions takes a hard look at the issues and concepts surrounding restorative justice and current restorative practices used in a broad range of areas today. In a time when the cost of prisons and jails is on the rise resulting in more offenders being kept out of the community, this timely and contemporary book exposes readers to a range of restorative practices that can be implemented. The authors, renowned experts in the area of restorative justice, provide information not found in other restorative justice texts.
In an effort to provide "distinctively new" research in victimology, Hoyle and Young (both of the Centre for Criminological Research, U. of Oxford, UK) present eight chapters by emerging and established academics. The contributions can be characterized as having two separate focuses: the challenging of stereotypical notions of the victim and examinations of criminal justice responses. Male victims of domestic violence and rape, victims of corporate crime, and the victims of IRA "punishment beatings" are examined. Concepts of restorative justice and victim participation in the criminal justice system are also explored. Distributed in the US by ISBS. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
This volume brings together the leading work on restorative justice to achieve two objectives: to construct a comprehensive and up-to-date conceptual framework for restorative justice suitable even for newcomers; and to challenge the barriers of restorative justice in the hope of taking its theory and practice a step further. The selected articles answer fundamental questions about restorative justice and challenge the concept by bringing into the debate the human rights and equality discourses. Also included is material based on empirical testing of restorative justice claims, especially those impacting on reoffending rates, victim satisfaction and reintegration.
Restoring Safe School Communities: a whole school response to bullying,violence and alienation introduces a whole school approach to addressing the problems of bullying and violence in schools. Author Brenda Morrison proposes a continuum of responsive and restorative practices for building safe school communities. The first, most proactive, level of practices aims to develop all students' social and emotional competencies, to enable students to resolve their differences in caring and respectful ways. The second level of practices widens the circle of care around the participants. Typically this level of response occurs when the problem has become more protracted or has involved (and affected) a larger number of people, and involves other members of the school community stepping in to assist in the resolution of the conflict or concern. The third and final level of practices involves the participation of an even wider cross-section of the school community, including parents, guardians, social workers, and others who have been affected. This tertiary level of intervention is normally only used for serious incidents within the school. Morrison explains the thinking behind the suggested responses and shows how they can be implemented by practices such as a responsible citizen program and restorative justice circles and conferences.
"Restorative justice theory has largely failed to keep pace with the rapid expansion of restorative practices worldwide – indeed, it is remarkable how much support RJ has when so few advocates can even define what it is. As such, this insightful and comprehensive new contribution from two of the top scholars on the frontlines of restorative justice research is hugely welcome." Professor Shadd Maruna, Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Manchester "Reimagining Restorative Justice is a reflective and balanced reconsideration of restorative justice. It deftly sweeps across the large literature on the subject, putting it in perspective, seeing anew through its wide-angle lens. Empowerment and accountability provide a fertile framework for this richly reimagined justice." Professor John Braithwaite, Australian National University "David O'Mahony and Jonathan Doak have made a significant contribution to the confusing and over-complicated field of restorative justice theory. They do so through their use of empowerment theory to bring conceptual and operational clarity to the concepts of agency and accountability in restorative processes and outcomes. As a result they develop a convincing argument for face to face dialogue between victim and perpetrator within the core of the criminal justice system. Their emphasis upon ethical and skilful practice is a welcome riposte to the rapid spread of 'restorative justice lite' driven by managerialism and the need to cut costs." Tim Chapman, Lecturer at the University of Ulster. "O'Mahony and Doak convincingly argue that rapid developments in the practice of restorative interventions have outstripped restorative justice theory. They provide both an outstandingly helpful review of the literature and a fresh theoretical approach based on empowerment theory. Everyone seriously interested in restorative justice will want to reflect carefully on the authors' conclusions." Anthony Bottoms, Emeritus Wolfson Professor of Criminology at the University of Cambridge. In recent years, restorative-based interventions have expanded rapidly and are increasingly viewed as a legitimate, and even superior means of delivering justice. The result of this swift but piecemeal development has been that restorative justice practice has outpaced the development of restorative justice theory. This book takes up this challenge by 'reimagining' a new framework for the operation of restorative justice within criminal justice. In essence, it is contended that the core empowering values of 'agency' and 'accountability' provide a lens for reimagining how restorative justice works and the normative goals it ought to encompass.
