Criminal Justice Reform: Lessons Learned Community Involvements and Restorative Justice

• NCJ Number: 199210
• Author(s): Brian Tkachuk
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 20 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: United Nations European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI)
• Sale Source: United Nations European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI)
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: Finland
• Note: HEUNI Papers, No. 17

Annotation

This is a report on the proceedings of a United Nations workshop that included presentations from various regions of the world regarding practical and substantive solutions that will further the involvement of the community in the criminal justice process, as well as the adoption of restorative justice practices complementary to the mainstream criminal justice systems.

Abstract

The presentations summarized include a description of the directions and principles for restorative justice in Canada, a portrait of juvenile justice reform and restorative justice in Latin America, the involvement of communities in crime prevention in African countries, best practices for restorative justice in Italy, the Children at Risk Program in five U.S. cities, crime in Islamic Sharia, and a general paper on crime prevention and policing. Based on the presentations and the brief discussions that followed, this report concludes that a number of factors have prompted countries worldwide to pursue restorative justice and community involvement in their criminal justice and crime prevention initiatives. These factors include general dissatisfaction with traditional justice systems, delays in the criminal justice process, the need to increase the role of victims and community in the criminal justice process, and severe prison overcrowding. The latter factor has prompted a search for and implementation of safe and effective alternatives to imprisonment. The programs highlighted in the workshop presentations indicate that they have great promise if implemented properly. There was a consensus that ongoing research and evaluation is the key to their continued success. Workshop presentations suggest that although restorative justice and community-based programs are operating in many countries, both in principle and legislatively, they are limited in practice. Workshop participants expressed the hope that the effectiveness of emerging programs will lead to replication and the institutionalization of the principles of restorative justice and community involvement in public safety. 11 notes