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Victims of Crime and Restorative Justice: The Canadian Experience

NCJ Number
180713
Journal
International Review of Victimology Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 279-294
Author(s)
Curt T. Griffiths
Date Published
1999
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article considers the restorative justice experience in Canada with particular reference to the role of crime victims in the process.
Abstract
Among the industrialized countries of the world, Canada has assumed a leading role in the development of restorative and community-based justice initiatives. These initiatives include some premised on traditional Aboriginal practices which are often developed in remote and isolated communities, as well as programs for non-Aboriginals designed and delivered in urban centers across the country. The article describes several programs that illustrate the issues surrounding victim involvement in restorative/community justice. It also identifies and discusses a number of critical issues surrounding restorative justice and the victims of crime. The article concludes by noting that, while restorative/community justice has the potential to address more adequately the needs and interests of crime victims, a number of issues must be considered to ensure that crime victims are not revictimized. Figures, references