Restorative justice differs from the current retributive model by putting the victim and the community at the center of the process and setting as a primary goal repairing the harm from the crime. Restorative justice reflects the philosophy supported in the Bible; used in Muslim, American Indian, and many Pacific rim societies; used in England for centuries before the Battle of Hastings in 1066; and several early legal codes. Hundreds of programs involving community-based mediation are now operating in the United States. A natural link appears to exist between community policing and restorative justice. Many victim- offender mediation programs are operating at the prosecution stage as an alternative to court processing. Some programs operate from the court. New Zealand's family group conferences have reduced both prosecutions and youth commitments to prisons and training schools. The strongest support for restorative justice appears to relate to victim impact. Restorative justice can humanize the justice process and leave victims more satisfied than they are with the current process; however, victims need to have a choice of whether or not to become involved in this approach. Figures and footnotes