Handbook on Restorative justice programmes

parties. It has been noted that “‘community involvement’ can designate
very individualistic modes of collaboration or a powerful or national
lobby”.
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There is considerable variability in the nature and extent of
community involvement in the various restorative justice approaches. For
example, in victim-offender mediation (VOM) the community is absent
and the process consists of a mediator, the offender and the victim. In cir-
cle sentencing, on the other hand, the process is open to all members of a
local neighbourhood, village or indigenous group.
Many members of the community are likely at first to view restorative jus-
tice processes as more lenient and less effective at preventing crime than
the traditional criminal justice system and its reliance on punishment. An
innovative programme may be seen to allow the offender to get off
“lightly”, particularly when a more serious offence is involved. It is there-
fore always important to develop materials and design initiatives to edu-
cate the community about the principles and practices of restorative
justice and the potential role that community members can play.