Handbook on Restorative justice programmes

HANDBOOK ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMMES
Mobilizing and
sustaining the
involvement and
support of criminal
justice personnel
The potential benefits of restorative
justice approaches are enhanced
appreciably when there is an
understanding of the principles 
and practice of restorative justice
among people working in that
organization. 
Soliciting and securing their support
requires the development of a
communication strategy that
includes the use of media,
presentations to various stakeholder
groups in the community, a training
curriculum, “team” meetings of
justice and community-based
personnel who are involved in 
the restorative initiative, and a
mechanism for receiving continual
feedback on the operation of the
restorative process. These strategies
must be components of an overall
plan for sustaining the momentum
to support restorative processes; in
the absence of these strategies and
a periodic renewal of the initiative,
the effectiveness of the restorative
processes will be compromised.
Criminal justice managers who set
out to implement restorative
programmes can expect to
encounter both active and passive
resistance to their efforts. They
must therefore develop ways 
to take into account and
accommodate concerns without
compromising the integrity of
restorative justice partnerships,
agreements and processes.
48 
Bazemore and Umbreit, 1999, p. 8.
49 
Dickson-Gilmore and LaPrairie 2005, p. 10.
50 
Dickson-Gilmore and LaPrairie 2005, p. 10 and ff.

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A number of restorative justice practices provide the opportunity for a
transformation in the relationship between the government/criminal jus-
tice system and the community. The community assumes an active role in
responding to issues of crime and conflict and, in so doing, the problem
solving and informal social control capacities as well as the social cohesion
of that community are strengthened. However, it cannot always be
assumed that restorative justice practices will necessarily have a healing
and transformative effect, irrespective of the situation in which a commu-
nity finds itself. In some instances, existing social tensions, inequities and
inequalities, power differentials and various forms of exclusion, discrimi-
nation or ostracism may possibly be exacerbated rather than alleviated 
by introducing a participatory justice programme. At the very least this
possibility should be taken into account in designing and implementing a
new programme.
There are a number of issues to be considered in order to fully involve the
community in restorative justice practices. They include:
앫 What are the power hierarchies and dynamics in the community that
may affect which members of the community become involved and
their impact on the restorative process?
앫 What guidelines will define who should be included in the restora-
tive process?
앫 What strategies can be utilized to mobilize community support and
sustain the involvement of community residents in restorative jus-
tice programmes as mediators, facilitators and mentors?
앫 What strategies can be developed to minimize any potentially
negative impacts of community involvement in restorative justice
initiatives?
앫 What training and skills are required so that community residents
can participate in restorative justice programmes?
앫 To what extent are community residents who do not have special-
ized training able to participate in restorative justice processes?
앫 What existing structures and processes can provide the basis for
restorative justice programmes?
In some restorative justice programmes, citizen involvement in problem
solving can also be promoted by assigning responsibilities to some partic-
ipants to serve as a support for an offender or a victim, or to provide a job
or service opportunity for the offender.
chapter 4