Restorative Justice

Psychological Support for Victims and Offenders

Restorative justice is a relatively new concept within the judicial system of South Africa. This way of thinking involves support for the individuals affected by a crime (not only the individuals directly offended, but the offender/s, families and community members too) through a collective effort to identify harms, accept responsibilities, make restitution and take measures to prevent re-occurrence of the crime.

Its focus is not only on the victim and giving them the help and psychological assistance required to help them deal with the crime that has been committed against them, but also on the offender, by offering the correct support and guidance to try and avoid future re-offending.

I am currently involved with the national steering committee, whereby we are in the process of drafting guidelines for establishing restorative justice in the South African judicial system.