Restorative justice

Key points:

Restorative justice is a voluntary process that engages those responsible for and harmed by a criminal offence in constructive dialogue about the harm caused and what can be done to set things right.

Although its use is relatively limited in Scotland, restorative justice is used in other parts of the UK and internationally.

Research evidence shows restorative justice can reduce the likelihood of further offending, assist people to recover from the harm of crime, and provide greater satisfaction with the justice process.

Critics of restorative justice have highlighted gaps between theory and practice, questioned the sometimes misleading use of the ‘restorative justice’ label, and argued that restorative justice can create issues regarding the proportionality of sentences.

Criticisms of restorative justice highlight the need to ensure high quality practice and safeguard against unintended consequences
The current Scottish policy context provides fertile ground for the growth of restorative justice.

There are many opportunities for increasing the use of restorative justice in Scotland as a response to crime.