Restorative Justice

Recognizing the reality that supermajority of sexual harms in higher education are rarely addressed through established legalistic practices, this book offers a range of alternative approaches based on restorative justice. Starting from the premise "What if we started with the goal of healing in mind", this book opens with an overview of common restorative practices and accounts of application and lessons learned by practitioners who have implemented a range of restorative justice and alternative-based approaches. Subsequent chapters cover procedural elements, recommendations around documentation. and interventions for individuals who have caused harm through sexual and gender-based misconduct. Recognizing there will always be a need for a formal investigatory approach to cases of sexual misconduct, the book offers a wide range of alternative options that empower those who are most directly affected to make the call for themselves.

In this collection, a diverse group of authors focuses on concrete and practical forms of redress and accountability, assessing existing practices and marking paths forward. They use a variety of forms - from toolkits to personal essays - to delve deeply into the 'how to' of transformative justice, providing alternatives to calling the police, ways to support people having mental health crises, stories of community based murder investigations, and much more. At the same time, they document the history of this radical movement, creating space for long-time organisers to reflect on victories, struggles, mistakes, and transformations.

This book critically examines the colonial dimensions of restorative justice through the lens of justice policy reform in Jamaica. Practices of restitution can be found throughout history, predominantly in non-western traditions and religions. One of the key principles of restorative practices is that of contextualisation. With the globalisation of restorative practices within the past decade, many countries have sought to 'colonize' restorative justice, by developing a standardized, best practice approach. Examined through the lens of the development and implementation of restorative justice policies in Jamaica, this book argues that this westernised approach diminishes the effectiveness of restorative justice in its capacity: to address the victim's needs; to hold the offender accountable in a way that reintegrates them into society; and to empower the community by involving them in the provision of justice to victims.

Combining narratives of gendered Restorative Justice, gender-based violence, women's resilience, activism and healing along with empirical and theoretical analyses, contributors raise awareness and educate readers about the benefits of framing Restorative Justice as an intervention for understanding the resilience of women facing violence, political challenges and sexual assault. Within a truly international framework, chapters highlight significant scholarship from researchers with diverse backgrounds, opening a sociological dialogue onto this critical issue.

This work will inform scholars and practitioners on the subjects of pervasive racial inequity and the healing offered by restorative justice practices. Addressing the intersectionality of race and the US criminal justice system, social activist Fania E. Davis explores how restorative justice has the capacity to disrupt patterns of mass incarceration through effective, equitable, and transformative approaches.

Building on clinical experience and earlier research on sexual crime, the authors engage with the complex dynamics and traumatic impact of sexual crime as a critical starting point for their research and examine whether restorative justice can contribute to a more enhanced justice response.