As a criminology student you’ll encounter many concepts and approaches regarding justice and punishment throughout your studies. Restorative justice is one such idea and understanding it, both theoretically and in practice, can help expand your knowledge of criminal behaviour and rehabilitation. Below, we explore what restorative justice is, the benefits of restorative justice and how it works in the real world.
Written by Grant Longstaff. Published 14 May 2025.
What is restorative justice?
Restorative justice is a process which brings together the victim of a crime and the offender, providing them an opportunity to discuss the impact of the offence and attempt to find a positive way to move forward from the harm caused. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, restorative justice offers a more inclusive and constructive way to deal with crime by aiming to repair harm and rebuild trust.
Unlike traditional justice, which centres around punishment, restorative justice focuses on discussion and accountability and has been applied across a range of offences, from minor wrongdoing to the most serious of crimes.
Restorative justice was first used in the UK in 1980; however, it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the approach started to gain credibility. Once seen as “soft and fluffy”, restorative justice has now become a key part of the criminal justice system.
Types of restorative justice
Restorative justice can take several forms. The most common is restorative conferencing, which sees the victim (and sometimes a small group of their supporters) and the offender communicate with one another, with the support and guidance of a trained facilitator. This can take place face-to-face or indirectly via letters, video or audio messages where the facilitator acts as a mediator between the parties.
Community conferencing is like the above, however it involves larger groups and often discusses the impact of a crime on the community.
When it comes to young offenders, restorative justice can be ordered as part of a conviction, such as a Referral Order or Youth Rehabilitation Order, or delivered by a Youth Offending Team.
Benefits of restorative justice
There are a number of benefits to using restorative justice. One of the most important aspects of the approach is its ability to empower the victims of crime. Too often victims can feel their experiences are overlooked, but restorative justice provides an opportunity for their voice to be heard. They can ask questions, express their feelings and discuss the impact the crime has had on their lives, which can help the victim move forward from their experiences. Furthermore, the Restorative Justice Council points out “Government research demonstrates that 85% of victims who take part in restorative justice find the process helpful.”
There are also benefits for offenders. Restorative justice means they must confront the consequences of their actions and the real impact to their victims. This can prompt a change in behaviour and reduce the chances of reoffending. The House of Commons Justice committee published a report on restorative justice which suggests the approach can reduce reoffending by 14%.
Restorative justice can also help reduce the costs to the criminal justice system. Analysis carried out by the Restorative Justice Council reported that “providing restorative justice in 70,000 cases involving adult offenders would deliver £185 million in cashable cost savings to the criminal justice system over two years, through reductions in reoffending alone.”
How does restorative justice work?
Participation in restorative justice is always voluntary and requires the consent of both the victim and the offender. If both parties agree to the process, a trained facilitator meets with each party to assess their willingness, emotional readiness and if restorative justice is appropriate.
The meetings themselves are planned to give victims the chance to fully express how they were affected and offenders the opportunity to acknowledge the harm they caused and explain their actions. Both parties then agree what needs to happen to make things right and the facilitator will follow up on the agreed steps to see they are actioned.
Ultimately, restorative justice offers an alternative to traditional justice. As a criminology student, understanding restorative justice can help you reflect on punishment, rehabilitation and how accountability can help improve the lives of both victims and offenders.
If you’re interested in learning more about the concepts and theories at the heart of criminology our BA (Hons) in Criminology is the perfect course for you.
