RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Restorative Justice has its roots in indigenous culture and traditions; having borrowed tribal practices regarding maintaining peace in society.


In an inclusive and meaningful way, restorative justice helps meet the needs of people faced with crime and conflict.  At Peacekeeper Mediation we provide opportunities for those who have been harmed, and those who have caused harm, to be active participants in their journey for justice, accountability, and reparation. Peacekeeper Mediation supports the advancement of Restorative Justice practices in BC because it contributes to community priorities regarding public safety, victim healing and support,  as well as Indigenous well-being.


​While crime violates laws, it also violates people and relationships. This disruption of peace in the community thereby affects all of us, either directly or vicariously! Although the Criminal Justice System uses an arbitrary approach to deal with criminals, the outcomes are not always satisfactory for the victims, or for the community. Often times the process also secludes the criminal, leaving them with no authentic form of  seeking forgiveness or settling their regretful feelings. Restorative Justice provides this avenue for real retribution by providing a space to address the victims needs and the communities needs. Further, Restorative Justice holds the offender accountable, while still acknowledging their needs also.
One might ask: What need does the offender have, since he is the criminal, shouldn't he or she simply receive their due punishment?
Well, think of this: Perhaps the offender needs a platform to offer an honest apology or an explanation as to what led to the crime? What were they feeling or thinking before, during, or most importantly, after the crime?
Maybe the victim would like an opportunity to truly express the deep impacts that the offenders actions had on their lives?  Having an open and collaborative dialogue is a viable way to fully and completely seek reparation of harm, where one's strong desire is to express their strong emotions and seek answers .


Peacekeeper Mediation's most reputable work is providing victim-offender mediation services. Our Peacekeepers are trained in RJ approaches and develop collaborative partnerships, address conflict, and assist offenders in their exploration of restorative justice values and principles. In this way, we see all parties involved having a much more satisfying experience of justice.
Historically research has found that offenders who participate in restorative justice circles are more likely to fulfill their commitments to repair the harm, for example, restitution or community service.
It's important to note that there may be a variety of ways that participants choose to settle issues; community service is only one example. Each case has its own unique set of circumstances and details that, through a collaborative process, can be explored in detail to see which might be most suitable for all the parties, thereby satisfying their need for fair settlement.
Research also suggests that RJ processes may stop re-offending, ultimately lending to a healthier reintegration into society for the offender. This of course would lead to a safer community overall.
 

At Peacekeeper Mediation we carefully screen each case for suitability in order to aim for the best chance of success. The process is 100% voluntary, and all affected parties are interviewed in advance through private meetings, prior to coming together in a facilitated, circular meeting.
If RJ proves to be a viable option, then the case moves forward, and everyone affected by the offence is invited to sit together with a skilled facilitator to discuss the circumstances surrounding the crime. The hope is to have all parties involved in seeking a resolution, with the ultimate goal of writing a Memorandum of Understanding and/or Restitution Agreement, including an end date by which the goals will be accomplished.

An important part of the RJ process is to determine who the Victim(s) and Offender(s) support persons are, and invite them to participate as well. This may include elders, close friends or family, etc.The facilitator will have structured dialogue with each participant to help them share how the offence happened, how they were affected, and what they feel needs to happen to make things right and restore peace.
The number of people involved depends on the type of offence and the unique needs of the participants.
Throughout this article we used the terminology: "offender" / "victim"; However, these labels fade away as our Peacekeeper's approach with gentleness in a much more relationship sensitive way!