The introduction notes that three elements are fundamental to any restorative justice definition and practice. First, crime is viewed primarily as a conflict between individuals that results in injuries to victims, communities, and the offenders themselves, and only secondarily as a violation against the state. Second, the aim of the criminal justice process should be to create peace in communities by reconciling the parties and repairing the injuries caused by the dispute. Third, the criminal justice process should facilitate active participation by victims, offenders, and their communities in order to find solutions to the conflict. Six papers discuss the theory for restorative justice practice; 5 address restorative justice practice among indigenous peoples; 8 examine restorative justice practice issues; and 11 papers consider restorative justice program applications. Detailed descriptions of Aboriginal restorative practices in various countries show that current restorative justice approaches mirror ancient ways of settling disputes. Papers present restorative justice practices at various points in the justice system on the basis of referrals from prosecutors, judges, and probation and parole officials. Additionally, one paper addresses dispute settlement between staff and inmates of a correctional institution, and another presents research on police strategies that include the application of restorative approaches in managing difficult situations. Further, a paper describes a statewide effort to implement restorative justice practices at all points within the justice systems and in local communities. Restorative justice is often associated with victim and offender reconciliation programs. A number of papers examine such programs in various countries. The family group conference approach that is now universal in New Zealand is also profiled. For individual chapters, see NCJ-172608-36. Chapter tables and references