Application of Restorative Justice to Juvenile and Adult Crimes Essay
Have you ever learned about a sentence given for a specific crime and questioned whether it would propel the offender further into a life of crime rather than rehabilitate him or her? If so, you are not alone. There is a significant “decarceration” movement in the United States that aims to end mass incarceration, particularly for those offenders who have committed nonviolent crimes. Using a restorative justice approach is one viable alternative to incarceration and other harsh punishments.
For this Assignment, you identify a local crime committed by a juvenile and a local crime committed by an adult for which a punitive approach was used. Then you consider how a restorative justice approach could have been more effective instead.
Write a 1,500-word paper that includes the following:
Juvenile Justice System (500 words)
- Identify one well-publicized crime committed by a juvenile in your community for which a restorative justice approach would have been more appropriate than the punitive approach that was used. Explain why.
- Explain how you would apply a restorative justice approach to the case. Be sure to include the following:
- Strategies to ensure that the offender provides accountability to the victim and the community
- Programs and services to rehabilitate the offender
Adult Justice System (500 words)
- Identify one well-publicized crime committed by an adult in your community for which a restorative justice approach would have been more appropriate than the punitive approach that was used. Explain why.
- Explain how you would apply a restorative justice approach to the case. Be sure to include the following:
- Strategies to ensure that the offender provides accountability to the victim and the community
- Programs and services to rehabilitate the offender
Conclusion (500 words)
- Describe challenges you would encounter when implementing a restorative justice approach in the juvenile and adult cases you addressed. Then explain how you would overcome the challenges.
- Explain the degree to which the application of a restorative justice approach is similar or different in the juvenile and adult justice systems.
- Explain the benefits of restorative justice in the juvenile and adult cases compared to the punitive approach that was used.