Title: Restorative Justice Online

Source/Sponsoring Agency: Van Ness, Dan; Parker, Lynette; Prison Fellowship International. Centre for Justice and Reconciliation

URL: http://www.restorativejustice.org/

Date Checked:       Status: Active

Date Annotated: 11/19/01

Topics: Comparative Law; Criminal Law; Criminal Procedure; Dispute Resolution; Foreign Law; Torts

Other keywords: Restorative Justice

Contents: "Restorative justice" is an approach which is both victim- and offender-centered, seeking ways to provide justice and restore balance and safety to the community, while appropriately meeting the needs of victims and offenders. It counters conventional patterns of incarceration with mediation, restitution, community service, and victim participation. The website contains some religious-based materials (the "Chapel" section contains Biblical references consistent with restorative justice and articles on faith-based approaches), but this is not a major feature of the website. Of greatest interest is the online research center, which posts government reports from many nations, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations, on alternatives to imprisonment, victims' rights, juvenile justice, and sentencing policies. Articles are retrievable by topic or keyword; the user can also search 40 other restorative justice or related websites. Monthly features include full-text articles, a website of the month, book reviews, and recent news. This is a thorough resource on an important worldwide trend in criminal justice.

Author of Annotation: A. Carson