Restorative Justice: RSVP

Restorative Justice holds that when a crime is committed, the offender incurs an obligation to restore the victim -- and by extension the community -- to the state of welfare that existed before the offense. This principle of balance gives equal weight to:

• holding offenders accountable to victims
• ensuring community safety, and providing pro-social development for offenders so they can pursue legitimate endeavors after release
• Restorative justice focuses on repairing the harm that has been done, and rebuilding relationships and community -- rather than punishment for its own sake