Is restorative justice ‘soft on crime’?
Restorative justice offers a more demanding, active, and clear opportunity for offenders to be held directly accountable to the victim and the community they have harmed. Rather than being soft on crime, restorative justice requires the offender to behave more responsibly by making amends to the victim and community. Some would suggest that it is more difficult for an offender to meet face-to-face with the victim of their crime than to proceed through the criminal justice system. In the traditional system offenders are not required to accept responsibility for their actions, are not held accountable for their actions, and are not required to explain their actions. Many offenders proceed through the system with a lawyer who speaks on their behalf.
