Does Restorative Justice Work?
There have been numerous evaluations of restorative justice programs in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, and North America (see Strang 2001, Luke & Lind 2002). The Re-Integrative Shaming Experiments (RISE) evaluation in Canberra found that offenders reported greater procedural justice (defined as being treated fairly and with respect) in conferences than in court; offenders reported higher levels of restorative justice (defined as the opportunity to repair the harm they had caused) in conferences than in court; and offenders’ respect for the police and law was higher in conferences than in court. Victims’ sense of restorative justice was also higher for those who went to conferences rather than to court (Daley & Hayes 2001, p. 5). South Australian research found that conferences received ‘high marks’ by police, coordinators, victims, and offenders on measures of procedural justice, including being treated fairly and with respect, and having a voice in the process. Ho
