Restorative Justice: An Alternative to Punishment

For decades, the American criminal justice system has followed a tough on crime model. That’s starting to change, following increased criticism of prisons and policing. One model for reform has become especially prominent: restorative justice. Restorative justice prioritizes community-led reconciliation between victim and offender. Based on indigenous practices and motivated by inequities in our current system, restorative justice is premised on a radical redefinition of social harm. To understand this challenging topic, the articles in this book cover deep explorations of our current system, examples of restorative justice in practice, and an overview of the institutional barriers to change. Media literacy terms and questions are included, inviting readers to carefully consider how reporting of the topic has developed over time.