What is restorative justice? Restorative justice is a justice system or a criminal restitution process that involves the victim, the criminal, and all of the other stakeholders. The process of restorative justice often incorporates some sort of mediation sessions between the victim and the abuser that focus on getting the victim to forgive the abuser, getting the abuser to stop the abusive behavior, and getting both the victim and the abuser to integrate back into society in a healthy way.
Restorative justice also focuses on accountability—or taking responsibility for one’s actions and attempting to make amends for the wrongdoings that have been committed. As the title—Restorative Justice—implies, this type of justice system is about restoring things to how they were before, or even making them better than they were before the wrongdoings that were committed. It can help the victim to move past what has happened, forgive their abuser, reintegrate into society, and ultimately become a stronger person after what they have endured. It can also help the abuser to see that what they have done was wrong, apologize for their behavior, cease their destructive behavior, reintegrate into society, become a stronger individual and have better relationships of all kinds (family, friends, neighbors, lovers, etc.) in the future.
Restorative justice doesn’t just help the victim and the abuser either. It can also help the community by making them aware of how situations with victims and abusers can be handled, and giving individuals important information about what they can do to stop or prevent these sorts of situations from happening in the future. It can also help the community by letting them know what they can do for the victim and the abuser. Restorative 
justice also helps the friends and family of the victim and the abuser by helping them to have better relationships with them and knowing that the abusive relationship is at an end.
Restorative justice is a justice system that has been around for several years, yet a lot of people are ignorant to its existence and more information needs to be available about this type of justice system to the public so that they can be aware of what exactly restorative justice is and how it can help in abusive situations. The more people that are aware about helpful systems that have been put in place to assist people in abusive situations, the better for everyone involved. Restorative justice is about helping everyone involved in the abusive situation from the victim to the abuser, even to the community.
For more information about restorative justice, mediation, or other kinds of conflict resolution, consult with an attorney, or visit montesfamilylaw.com.
Works Cited
“Center for Justice and Reconciliation.” Restorative Justice. Center For Justice and
Reconcilliation, 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
