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Restorative Justice

Restorative Justice

LAWS 2188.03: Restorative Justice: Theory and Practice

This seminar will introduce students to the theory and practice of restorative justice. Students will become familiar with the principles of restorative justice as compared with other theories of justice. Restorative Justice practices will be examined, including an exploration of the role of victims, offenders, communities and facilitators. There will be particular emphasis on emerging restorative justice conferencing techniques. A number of “restorative” process models will be considered within the criminal realm. Restorative justice has played a role at various points in the criminal justice system, including its use for crime prevention, diversion by police, prosecutors and in sentencing and corrections. Consideration will also be given to application beyond the criminal context; for example, in the areas of tort law, family law, environmental law and in dealing with large scale historical, social and political practices. Students may have the opportunity to acquire clinical experience by observing a restorative justice conference and/or receiving training in facilitation of restorative justice processes.

Background Reading

The following articles from The Nova Scotia Restorative Justice Community University Research Alliance (NSRJ-CURA) provide background information on restorative justice

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