Restorative justice is an alternative view of the punishment of the offender and compensation for the harm of the victim, which rejects the classic criminal law approach to only punish the criminal. In other words, justice for the sake of justice is not the primary goal of law for the proponents of this approach, since damage recovery is more significant. For this reason, the guiding principles of restoring justice are the application of punishment aimed at restoring the offenders in society and the victim to his or her previous status.
The basic principles of restorative justice are the desire to eliminate the harm caused but not only punish the offender. For this reason, throughout the trial and sentencing, the court treats the offender with respect, considering his or her actions as shameful but not his or her person (Lilly, Cullen, & Ball, 2018). Punishment is also imposed to correct the offender’s violation and provide him or her ability to return to society without facing the stigma of a former criminal. For example, community service helps to acquire skills and partially repair the harm caused by the offender depending on the crime. At the same time. The restoration of victim status, as well as the participation of all parties affected by crime, is also a fundamental principle. For example, the offender must publicly admit his or her guilt, apologize, and pay financial compensation to the victims and their families. Consequently, the sentence imposed by the court also includes a plan to restore the victim but not just a prison sentence for the criminal.
Reference
Lilly, J.R., Cullen, F.T., & Ball. R. A. (2018). Criminological theory: Context and consequences (7th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications