This week, November 16-23 is Restorative Justice Week. The Church Council on Justice and Corrections (CCJC) partners with organizations and communities across Canada, including the Presbyterian Church in Canada, to promote the principles and practices of restorative justice.
Restorative justice is founded on a vision of justice that heals and restores. It is based on an understanding that crime is a violation of people and relationships and that justice is served when those most directly involved in an offence are given opportunities to redress the harm caused. The values of restorative justice include caring and compassion, equality, healing, responsibility, truth and honesty, inclusion, trust, safety, respect, non-judgmentalism, self-awareness, integrity, flexibility, and empathy.