Is Restorative Justice "soft on crime"?
In the traditional justice system, offenders are not required to accept responsibility for their actions and are not held accountable. Many offenders proceed though the system with a lawyer who speaks on their behalf. Restorative Justice offers a more demanding, active and clear opportunity for offenders to hold themselves directly accountable to the victim and the community they have harmed. Rather than being soft on crime, Restorative Justice requires the person who committed the offense to behave more responsibly by making amends to the victim and community. The human consequences of the offender's behavior are dealt with more directly though Restorative Justice than they are in the current criminal justice system.

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1. What is Restorative Justice?
2. What is the difference between Restorative Justice and our traditional legal system?
3. Why is it called Restorative Justice? Who Is being restored?
4. How widespread is Restorative Justice?
5. How effective are Restorative Justice processes?
6. Can Restorative Justice be used in serious cases?
7. Is Restorative Justice "soft on crime"?
8. Isn't it simpler just to go to court?
9. What if the victim does not want to participate in a Restorative Justice process?
10. Is Restorative Justice appropriate for "victimless" crimes?
11. How is "community" defined for the purposes of Restorative Justice?
12. Do lawyers participate?
13. What are some CJC Restorative Justice programs?
14. Do victims have to participate?
15. What is expected of victims?
16. What kinds of things are appropriate to ask for to “repair harm”?