Image courtesy of Alan Cleaver on Flickr
A major new international study has backed pioneering work by The Australian National University (ANU) into restorative justice, finding criminals are less likely to re-offend after meeting their victims face to face. International research led by Cambridge University, launched at ANU on Friday, has found Restorative Justice Conferences, pioneered in Canberra, helped both the criminals and the victims of their crimes. It found the frequency of repeat offending to be down as much as 55 percent for some offences, compared to those dealt with by the criminal justice system without restorative meetings with their victims. Victims of crime also reported greater satisfaction with the outcomes compared to those dealt with through the courts, as well as lower levels of post-traumatic stress from the crime. "Because crime hurts, justice should heal," said ANU Professor John Braithwaite, who helped develop Restorative Justice Conferences in Canberra in the 1990s. "When a real victim of serious crime is in the room, it can have a big effect on re-offending. "Now we have results from studies of the highest quality around the world to show that it works." Restorative Justice Conferences can be used either as an alternative or as a supplement to the courts.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
