Restorative justice has the potential to significantly influence criminal justicepolicy, but only if understood as a policy alternative and not merely as a program. This means adopting a definition that lends itself to use in guiding public policy and to measuring the relative "restorativeness" of that policy as well as of practices or program. There are compelling reasons to adopt restorative justice as criminal justice policy, and lessons can be learned from the experiences of three countries that have, to varying degrees, adopted a restorative criminal justice policy. While legislation can entrench restorative justice, there are important reasons not to begin with legislation. The paper concludes with suggestions for countries considering use of restorative justice.

Restorative Justice Policies & Programs
  Restorative Justice: Policy or Program?
  A Public Policy Definition of Restorative Justice
  Determining the Restorativeness of a Policy or Program
  Reasons to Adopt a Restorative Criminal Justice Policy
  Three Examples of the Adoption of Restorative Justice Policy
  Using Legislation as a Means of Adopting Restorative Justice Policies
  Concluding Recommendations for Countries Investigating Restorative Justice
  References
  ABSTRACT

• Daniel W. Van Ness, LLM(Executive Director of Center for Justice and Reconciliation)