What is “restorative justice” and why should youth courts be interested?
An alternative philosophy to the traditional justice system, restorative justice addresses crime and problem behavior by recognizing that crime harms victims and communities. Restorative justice focuses on repairing harm (and restoring broken relationships) caused by crime through active involvement of the offender, victim, and the community. Some of the benefits that youth courts can derive from incorporating practices based on restorative justice principles include more effective services for respondents (i.e., defendants), victims, and the community; better respondent accountability; increased skill and competency development for respondents; improved relationships among respondents and their families, friends, victims, and community; and more meaningful community involvement in solving local problems.
