Restorative justice as a means to fostering social and community reintegration

The goals of the Centre for Services in Restorative Justice (CSRJ) are to promote and organize activities and services reflecting
a restorative justice philosophy with a view to enabling persons affected by crime to regain control of their lives. CSRJ brings
together persons who have been the victim and/or the perpetrator of similar crimes, as well as community members, to exchange
and explore ways of restoring what has been broken by crime. These meetings are but one of the possible forms of restorative
justice. As you will discover in this issue, the spirit of restorative justice is spreading at a surprising speed and is taking on forms that
are increasingly diversified in Québec as well as in other countries.

Collaborating to repair what has been broken by crime
Such is the overall goal of the various restorative justice approaches. But the essential feature of restorative justice and what
distinguishes it, is the fact that it includes everyone affected by a crime: offenders, victims and members of society. It reflects a
belief that any person is much more that the act that was committed or suffered and that people can regain control of their lives.

The perpetor
In many cases, crime has severed the relationships between people. Offender must repair themselves, acknowledge the wrongs
they have committed, and accept responsibility for their actions in order to come to terms with their own suffering, as well as
that caused to others, inasmuch as possible. Indeed, the range of consequences stemming from a crime is extensive; be it to one’s
victims, spouse, children, parents, employer, co-workers, friends or neighbours. This course of action tends to lead offenders
toward personal accountability and to foster their social and community reintegration.

In many cases as well, victims of a crime will be affected for several years and at several levels: physical, psychological, and, more
specifically, emotional. Let us not forget the feeling of insecurity experienced by victims. That insecurity may lead victims to hide
what they suffered from their close ones, be it because of embarrassment, shame or guilt. An opportunity is provided for victims
to speak of the impact of what they suffered and to express emotions such as anger. This allows victims to regain control of their
life little by little.

Society
There is no need for extensive discussion; when a crime is committed, it affects everyone: the surroundings, the neighbourhood,
if not a large portion of the public. Insecurity is an important factor that needs to be considered and an opportunity needs to
be provided for members of society to express themselves. Preparing the offender to reintegrate society is essential to restore a
certain feeling of safety. And what about victims who are now able to maintain more coherent relationship with those around
them, after having regained some control over their lives? All of this can only be beneficial for society whose social fabric is thereby
strengthened as relationships between its members become safer and more harmonious.

Many and varying forms of implementation
These restorative justice approaches are not miracle solutions, but they do contribute significantly to helping people who turn
to them. They constitute an additional and different means of “achieving justice”, a worthwhile evolution for a society intent on
caring for its most vulnerable members and on assisting them in taking charge and regaining control of their lives. What better
way of making society safer ?