The Victims of Crime and Restorative Justice: The Canadian Experience

Among the industrialized countries of the world, Canada has assumed a leading role in the development of restorative and community based justice initiatives. These initiatives include those premised on traditional Aboriginal practices which are often developed in remote and isolated communities, as well as programs for non-Aboriginals designed and delivered in urban centres across the country. This paper considers the restorative justice experience in Canada with particular reference to the role of crime victims in the restorative justice process. To illustrate the issues surrounding victim involvement in restorative/community justice, several programs are presented. Finally, a number of critical issues surrounding restorative justice and the victims of crime are identified and discussed. The paper concludes by noting that, while restorative/community justice has the potential to address more adequately the needs and interests of crime victims, there are a number of issues that must be considered to ensure that crime victims are not revictimized.