Incorporating Restorative and Community Justice Into American Sentencing and Corrections

This NIJ Research in Brief presents an overview of restorative and communiy justice practices in the United States. Both restorative and community justice are based on the premise that communities will be strengthened if local citizens participate in responding to crime, and that responses should be tailored to the preferences and needs of victims, communities, and offenders. Incorporating Restorative and Community Justice Into American Sentencing and Corrections, the third of four related policy briefs from the Executive Sessions on Sentencing and Corrections that distill what has been learned from the sessions, describes restorative and community justice evolution, goals, and principles; explores conflicts with retributive ideas; discusses whether restorative and community justice should be incorporated into the criminal justice system; and provides examples of programs implemented successfully.