Integrating Restorative Justice

The retributive criminal justice system should consider integration of restorative justice principles within its framework. The retributive justice system has proven to have many weaknesses. A few of those weaknesses are high recidivism rates, low victim satisfaction, and the lack of offender reintegration into society. The retributive justice system is less effective than many would hope due to the unrealized benefits of many restorative justice principles. Statistics show that the current criminal justice system produces high numbers of repeat offenders. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 67.5% of prisoners released have reoffended within a three year period (“Reentry Trends,” 2002). Prisoners are sent away to jail or prison and then released with no system of reintegration into society. Restorative justice addresses the issues of reintegration and allows for programs to accommodate the offender’s successful integration back into society. With successful reintegration comes better relationships with the community and lower recidivism rates. As leaders in today’s modern criminal justice processes, it is imperative that we come together and address the needs of victims and offenders alike. Society must move from a broken system of repeat offending, victim dissatisfaction, and lack of offender reintegration. Although the current system of retributive criminal justice is not in its entirety wrong, the integration of restorative justice practices will help to alleviate some of the most common complaints with this system. Shifting to an integrative approach between both restorative and retributive justice systems is not only good for society, but is owed to both the victim and offender alike.