Restorative Justice

  The use of restorative justice was a success according to the police from a county called Cambridgeshire. About eighty hundred officers have been trained for this program for first time minor offenders and it has been used since this year.
  One of the important issues is that the offenders have to agree to the use of the program, which makes them reflect about their wrong behavior and gives them the chance to do things right in order to reintegrate into society.
  Another outstanding characteristic is that the victims of the offenders may suggest the punishment to solve the conflict. In this way, the victims feel that something is done to repair both psychological and material damage.
  I think this program is an excellent example to follow because en the one hand, the offenders have an opportunity to change and, on the other, the victims feel they are doing something to solve some of the problems in our society, especially the ones that have to do with vandalism.

Victoria