restorative justice: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Legal
Quick answer
What does “restorative justice” mean?
An approach to justice focusing on repairing harm caused by criminal behaviour through cooperative processes involving victims, offenders and the community.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An approach to justice focusing on repairing harm caused by criminal behaviour through cooperative processes involving victims, offenders and the community.
A philosophy and set of practices that prioritises accountability, healing and reconciliation over purely punitive measures; often applied in criminal, educational and community conflict settings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; concept is equally recognised. UK usage may more frequently appear in youth justice and social policy contexts; US usage is prominent in criminal justice reform discourse.
Connotations
Generally positive connotations associated with reform, empathy, and rehabilitation. May carry negative connotations for critics who view it as 'soft' on crime.
Frequency
Moderate and increasing frequency in both varieties within relevant professional domains (law, social work, education). Rare in casual everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “restorative justice” in a Sentence
[practice/implement/promote] restorative justicerestorative justice [approach/model/process]restorative justice [in/for] [schools/the system]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “restorative justice” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The local youth offending team decided to restorative justice the case.
- They are restorative justicing the conflict within the school.
American English
- The court agreed to restorative justice the offense.
- The program restorative justices non-violent crimes.
adverb
British English
- The case was handled restoratively, not punitively. (Note: 'restoratively' is derived, not 'restorative justicely')
American English
- The system responded more restoratively after the reforms. (Note: 'restoratively' is derived, not 'restorative justicely')
adjective
British English
- The restorative justice conference was deeply moving.
- They followed restorative justice principles.
American English
- She is a leading restorative justice scholar.
- They implemented a restorative justice framework.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports regarding community disputes.
Academic
Very common in criminology, sociology, law, education and social work literature.
Everyday
Very rare. Most non-specialists would require explanation.
Technical
Core term in legal, penal and conflict resolution professions.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “restorative justice”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “restorative justice”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “restorative justice”
- Using as a countable noun (*a restorative justice*). Incorrectly using 'restorative' as a noun (*the restorative*). Confusing with 'rehabilitative justice' (which focuses on the offender, not the harm).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is often described as more demanding than passive imprisonment, requiring offenders to actively confront the consequences of their actions, take responsibility, and make amends.
Yes, but it is complex and requires extremely careful facilitation. It is more commonly used for less severe crimes, but some programmes have successfully facilitated processes for families of homicide victims.
Typically the primary victim(s), the offender(s), and often community representatives or trained facilitators. Participation is voluntary for all parties.
Restorative justice asks 'Who was harmed? What are their needs? Who is obligated to address these harms?'. Retributive justice asks 'What law was broken? Who did it? What punishment do they deserve?'.
An approach to justice focusing on repairing harm caused by criminal behaviour through cooperative processes involving victims, offenders and the community.
Restorative justice is usually formal, academic, legal in register.
Restorative justice: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈstɒr.ə.tɪv ˈdʒʌs.tɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈstɔːr.ə.t̬ɪv ˈdʒʌs.tɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To meet justice with restoration”
- “A circle, not a cell”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RESTORE-ative justice aims to RESTORE relationships and communities, not just punish.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE IS HEALING (contrasts with JUSTICE IS PUNISHMENT).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary focus of restorative justice?