Reforming Criminal Justice: Evaluating the Impact of Restorative Justice Practices on Recidivism Rates

Abstract

To enhance public safety and reduce recidivism by addressing the needs of crime victims and the community, the purpose of this study is to evaluate whether restorative justice practices reduce recidivism for individuals from juvenile and adult court systems. Specifically, the effect of the following restorative justice practices will be examined for their impact on reoffending rates: victim-offender mediation, family group conferencing, peacemaking circles, restorative circles, repair of harm circles, and indigenous circles. This study will also look at the impact of varying contexts and characteristics of restorative justice practices (e.g., timing, voluntary vs. involuntary participation, follow-up with law enforcement/abuse prevention plans) on recidivism rates. Though there have been numerous studies published within the past fifteen years, additional review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the impact of restorative justice practices on recidivism rates is warranted.