Restorative justice in the twenty-first century: Making emotions mainstream

Abstract

This chapter explores recent developments in restorative justice theory, research, and practice. It examines reasons why it has been challenging to define restorative justice and offers a definition that articulates the relationship between values, processes, and outcomes. It then explores the main theoretical traditions that seek to explain how and why restorative justice ‘works’ as a response to crime: shame theories, procedural justice theories, and ritual theories. Following this, it reviews the empirical evidence on how offenders and victims experience restorative justice compared to court, and whether it can reduce reoffending. It concludes by surveying select debates and tensions that arise as the practice continues to evolve.