Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.0
1.3
Journals
Laws
Special Issues
New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What...
share announcement

New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’

A special issue of Laws (ISSN 2075-471X). This special issue belongs to the section "Criminal Justice Issues".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2023) | Viewed by 40743

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jonathan Hobson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, GL50 4AZ, UK
Interests: restorative justice; genocide; conflict and peace; criminology; sociology
Mr. James Simon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Restorative Justice Council, Norwich NR1 1RB, UK
Interests: restorative justice; restorative practice
Miss Becky Beard

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Restorative Justice Council, Norwich NR1 1RB, UK
Interests: restorative justice; restorative practice

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for your interest in this Special Issue on “New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding “What Works””. This issue is jointly edited by Dr Jonathan Hobson, from the University of Gloucestershire, and the Restorative Justice Council, UK. As an independent, third sector membership and advocacy body for the field of restorative practice, the Restorative Justice Council provides a voice on the widespread use of all forms of restorative practice, including restorative justice. As part of this Special Edition, we are keen to receive submissions from both academics as well from practitioners engaged in restorative work. For these practitioners, we are offering the chance to pair with academics in the field who can provide support in the writing process.

In this Special Issue, we are examining new and innovative applications of restorative justice and restorative practices, as well as providing fresh evidence in support of existing practices and schemes. In this way, we hope the work will contribute to the growing body of literature that illustrates the breadth and impact of restorative work. The scope of submissions is therefore broad. We are seeking submissions that detail or evaluate new forms of restorative justice and practice, examine innovative schemes, and reflect on projects in areas where restorative work is less well established. We also welcome submissions contributing to the evidence base for restorative work, for instance, assessing existing schemes with new data, or examining successful schemes that have expanded their work.

If you are a practitioner interested in contributing and would like to discuss the opportunity to pair with an academic, please contact one of the Guest Editors for this Special Edition.

Dr. Jonathan Hobson
Mr. James Simon
Miss Becky Beard
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Laws is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Restorative justice
  • Restorative practice
  • Criminal justice
  • Social justice
  • Conflict resolution
  • Problem solving
  • Reform Education
  • Young people
  • Prisons

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

26 pages, 363 KiB  
Article
What Are Restorative Justice Services Recording? Qualitative Analysis of Six Restorative Justice Reporting Templates for Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner in England
by Benjamin M. Fisk
Laws 2023, 12(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws12020028 - 13 Mar 2023
Viewed by 3522
Abstract
This paper is a qualitative documentary analysis of six restorative justice reporting templates used by the Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner in England for collecting restorative justice service data. Findings identify differences in the following areas: general presentation and format of [...] Read more.
This paper is a qualitative documentary analysis of six restorative justice reporting templates used by the Offices of the Police and Crime Commissioner in England for collecting restorative justice service data. Findings identify differences in the following areas: general presentation and format of templates; types of data recorded; areas of interest; definitions and use of descriptive language; methods and timing for counting data; and interpretation of restorative justice processes and outcomes. Conclusions highlight the need to standardise definitions and methods, outlining potential pitfalls when using data to draw further conclusions when equivalency is problematic, and further research avenues that could illuminate the use of data to evidence effectiveness, efficiency, impact and success. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
15 pages, 273 KiB  
Article
Restorative Practice and Therapeutic Jurisprudence in Court: A Case Study of Teesside Community Court
by Susie Atherton
Laws 2022, 11(5), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11050072 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2594
Abstract
This article examines the contribution of restorative practice and therapeutic jurisprudence in community courts, which have adopted a problem-solving approach. Through interviews with stakeholders, it explores the implementation of the community court model in Teesside. This work draws from a broader study in [...] Read more.
This article examines the contribution of restorative practice and therapeutic jurisprudence in community courts, which have adopted a problem-solving approach. Through interviews with stakeholders, it explores the implementation of the community court model in Teesside. This work draws from a broader study in Middlesbrough, which adopted a case study design, to profile the local community and to present experiences of community justice, including the community court. For this article, there is a specific focus on the data collected from those working in the community court and in partnership with it. The findings demonstrate both the benefits and challenges of courts adopting problem-solving approaches. There was clear support among magistrates who recognised the value of doing justice differently, to more effectively dealing with re-offending. Among all participants, positive experiences and outcomes were reported, alongside acknowledgement of the logistical and political challenges associated with implementing innovations in criminal justice. This included negative media representations and a lack of investment to sustain the change in practice. Participants across the sample emphasised the importance of adopting a different ethos, aligning with restorative practice and therapeutic jurisprudence and shifting away from adversarial approaches to present a more effective response to the problem of crime. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
20 pages, 642 KiB  
Article
Restorative Justice, Youth Violence, and Policing: A Review of the Evidence
by Jonathan Hobson, Anamika Twyman-Ghoshal, Rebecca Banwell-Moore and Daniel P Ash
Laws 2022, 11(4), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11040062 - 15 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 12508
Abstract
Restorative justice seeks to bring those that have created harm together with those that have been harmed, and often stands in contrast to retributive and punitive approaches to justice that centre the state in the responses to crime and harm. Restorative justice approaches [...] Read more.
Restorative justice seeks to bring those that have created harm together with those that have been harmed, and often stands in contrast to retributive and punitive approaches to justice that centre the state in the responses to crime and harm. Restorative justice approaches are becoming increasingly integrated into parts of the criminal justice system, and this paper examines the evidence for such applications in the context of youth violence and policing. The evidence is built on work conducted for the Metropolitan Police Service, the UKs largest police force with over 30,000 officers serving 8 million people in and around London. It does this through a Rapid Evidence Assessment, which utilises the search and sifting principles of systematic reviews on a more limited basis, tailored to the needs of a specific audience, and conducted within a limited timescale. The results of the assessment are broken down into three areas: benefits, challenges, and deployment considerations. The studies identified through the assessment suggest that restorative justice and restorative practice can form an important part of an overall strategy to help reduce both incidents of youth violence as well as the longer-term impacts of that violence when it has taken place. We conclude that in the context of violence and young people, effective restorative justice police practice should embrace a whole-system approach that incorporates multi-agency working and consistently engages with young people at risk of becoming violent offenders or victims. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 304 KiB  
Article
The Delivery of Restorative Justice in Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales: Examining Disparities and Highlighting Best Practice
by Rebecca Banwell-Moore
Laws 2022, 11(4), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11040060 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5544
Abstract
Since the establishment of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in England and Wales in 1999, all victims of youth crime, must, in accordance with national instruments, be consulted by YOTs as to their wishes and provided with the opportunity to get involved in a [...] Read more.
Since the establishment of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in England and Wales in 1999, all victims of youth crime, must, in accordance with national instruments, be consulted by YOTs as to their wishes and provided with the opportunity to get involved in a restorative justice (RJ) initiative. RJ should be the underlying principle for all youth justice disposals and victims must be invited to be part of the process. If, as evidenced and consistently outlined in guidance, policy and research, the fundamental principle of inclusivity and victim participation are imperative to RJ, then to what extent are YOTs in England and Wales ‘fully’ restorative? Drawing upon the findings of a larger empirical study, this article specifically examines the use of RJ in seven YOTs in England and Wales to demonstrate that RJ has not been fully integrated into practice nor widely embedded into YOT culture. Victims of youth crime, continue to be systematically excluded from RJ. This paper outlines the disparities in the delivery of RJ amongst YOTs, demonstrates the reasons for service delivery disparities and concludes by evidencing best practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
17 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Restorative Pedagogy in the University Criminology Classroom: Learning about Restorative Justice with Restorative Practices and Values
by Rowan Sweeney
Laws 2022, 11(4), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11040058 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3482
Abstract
This paper explores the use of restorative practices and values to facilitate teaching and learning regarding restorative justice in undergraduate criminology curricula in England and Wales. Applications of restorative practice, inside and outside of criminal justice contexts, continue to progress and strengthen in [...] Read more.
This paper explores the use of restorative practices and values to facilitate teaching and learning regarding restorative justice in undergraduate criminology curricula in England and Wales. Applications of restorative practice, inside and outside of criminal justice contexts, continue to progress and strengthen in the UK and internationally. Similarly, the provision of undergraduate criminology programmes at universities in England and Wales, and globally, has increased substantially in recent decades. Yet, limited research has been conducted regarding the way restorative justice is taught at universities, particularly in a UK higher education context. This paper draws on research which set out to examine the extent and form of restorative justice knowledge production and exclusion, in undergraduate criminology programmes in England and Wales. In doing so, the innovative and effective use of restorative practice pedagogically was exposed. Evidence presented in this paper was collected via seven semi-structured interviews with criminology academics working at six different universities, and three focus groups with undergraduate criminology students, each at a different university. By exploring perspectives of academics and students regarding the use of restorative practices and values to support teaching and learning about restorative justice, this paper argues that real-world contextualisation, collaboration, and experiential learning are key elements of restorative pedagogy within undergraduate criminology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
11 pages, 222 KiB  
Article
Do Victim Impact Panels Have Sustained Effects on DUI Recidivism?
by Kevin Thompson and Sarah Joyce
Laws 2022, 11(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11020028 - 25 Mar 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5576
Abstract
This study examines whether Victim Impact Panels reduce DUI recidivism 5 to 8 years postsentence. Original 2-year data on 410 DUI offenders who attended a Victim Impact Panel and 373 DUI offenders from the same court system who did not attend a Victim [...] Read more.
This study examines whether Victim Impact Panels reduce DUI recidivism 5 to 8 years postsentence. Original 2-year data on 410 DUI offenders who attended a Victim Impact Panel and 373 DUI offenders from the same court system who did not attend a Victim Impact Panel indicated slight recidivism reduction effects. Logistic regression results at the 5-year period reveal that not attending a Victim Impact panel increases the odds of another DUI by a factor of 1.5 with an upper 95% confidence odds level of 2.2. At the 8-year mark, non-VIP participants were 1.8 times more likely to record another DUI with an upper 95% confidence odds level of 2.6. Offenders with a prior DUI who attended a Victim Impact Panel had significantly lower recidivism rates after 8 years relative to non-attendees. Prior research suggested that males in the 26–35-year age group benefitted more from Victim Impact Panel participation. These data indicate that the effects of age are relatively uniform across male age groups. Overall, these recidivism results indicate that the emotional messages communicated by victims to DUI offenders might carry sustained effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
15 pages, 599 KiB  
Article
Practitioner Perspectives on a Restorative Community: An Inductive Evaluative Study of Conceptual, Pedagogical, and Routine Practice
by Thomas Procter-Legg
Laws 2022, 11(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11010004 - 30 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 5383
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore restorative practice (RP) within education, highlighting practitioner views from an inductive evaluative perspective. This is in response to the suggested ambiguity over what constitutes RP in education. Practitioner perspectives are explored, providing an insight into [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to explore restorative practice (RP) within education, highlighting practitioner views from an inductive evaluative perspective. This is in response to the suggested ambiguity over what constitutes RP in education. Practitioner perspectives are explored, providing an insight into an established restorative school. New data offer further clarity on RP in education by describing embedded practice and highlighting sites for further specific task analysis. Methods include semi-structured questionnaires in the form of employee practice statements, situated within insider research. Eleven practice statements were completed, which were then subject to in-depth thematic analysis. The main findings of this study suggest that RP is clearly understood in this educational setting and participants described a wholistic approach that is part of a wider culture, not just practice as an intervention. Analysis suggests that this can be categorised into the following three themes: Conceptual, Pedagogical and Routine Practice. When used alongside one another, it is suggested that these themes create a restorative paradigm, which is of relevance to the field of education. As such, this paper is designed to provide a useful resource for schools, policy makers and researchers alike. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Restorative Justice and Restorative Practice: Expanding ‘What Works’)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop