Governing Paradoxes of Restorative Justice [Paperback]

Restorative justice is the policy of eschewing traditional punishments in favour of group counselling involving both victims and perpetrators. Until now there has been no critical analysis of governmental rationales that legitimize restorative practices over traditional approaches but Governing Practices of Restorative Justice fills this gap and addresses the mentalities of governance most prominent in restorative justice. The author provides comprehensible commentary on the central images of this discursive arena in a style accessible to participants and observers alike of restorative justice.

Restorative Justice's Enigma: A Complementary Alternative to Criminal Justice.  Restorative Values.  Different Traditions of Justice.  Healing Harms.  Restoration: Healing, Harm and Conflict.  Health and Diminished Promise of Justice.  Empowering Free Individuals.  The State versus Free Individuals.  Individual Empowerment and Restorative Justice.  Community.  Restorative Justice and the Community.  Freedom from State Control?: The Concept of Community.  The Dark Side: Totalitarianism and the Question of Responsibility.  Justice Without Community.  Restorative Ethics.  Universal Principles and Restorative Justice.  The Perils of Principle.  The Plight of Universal Ethics.  Conclusion: Restoring Just Promises

Until now there has been no critical analysis of governmental rationales that legitimize restorative practices over traditional approaches.  This book fills this gap and addresses the mentalities of governance most prominent in restorative justice.

'This book is a must read for anyone concerned with the need for reforming America's criminal justice system. Restorative justls)