Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior, or by behavior considered criminal in contemporary society. The term has come to encompass a growing social movement that raises awareness of past and current violations of legal and human rights. Essential aspects of legitimate restorative justice include mediation between the parties and agreement on appropriate reparations.

Keywords: restitution, reparations, reconciliation, community service, victim assistance, victim offender mediation, compensation, recidivism prevention, injured party, prison, crime, mediation, accountability, victim-offender dialogue, transformative justice, criminal justice system, impact of crime, restorative conferencing, family group conferencing, sentencing circles

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