RESOURCES: Review - A new way of thinking about punishing criminals

The ideas behind restorative justice derive from approaches used by Aboriginal peoples, notably the Maori of New Zealand. Essentially, they initially ask a very different question: not what should be done to the offender, but what should be done for the victim. The focus shifts from making offenders pay for their crimes through suffering to ensuring they repair the harm they have caused. The emphasis is on making good and reconciling the offender with their victims and with the community. Rather than being cast out, they are held accountable for their actions. They are expected to acknowledge the consequences of their behaviour and to display a willingness to repent by agreeing to "whatever measures the community deems reasonable to ensure that they do not further endanger its members". The process does, of course, require the engagement of the community.