Restorative Justice - An Apporoach To Reduce Youth Crime In South Africa

Abstract

Restorative justice is internationally a well-debated concept that carries different perceptions. It seeks to understand the impact of crime rather than the cause, and identifies the need of all parties affected by the crime; the offender, the victim and the community. The aim of the study is to examine three main research questions: What is restorative justice? What laws and policies support restorative justice? Can restorative justice prevent recidivism among young people? The study is qualitative and focuses on depth rather than width. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to collect the qualitative data with respondents from organizations in a South African context. Qualitative findings together with relevant theoretical concepts are the source for discussion. The principle of restorative justice is that violation creates obligations, and the central obligation is to put right the wrongs. The concept has international support from United Nations conventions and principles. The key finding is that restorative justice prevent recidivism among young people through various interventions strategies, however the challenge is to prove its effectiveness.