Restorative Justice

When a crime is committed, the victim and community want justice, above all else. A good justice system should empower and provide justice to all primary stakeholders (victims, offenders, communities and families). Unfortunately, legal systems today treat crime as a violation of the law and the state. Such understanding disenfranchises the primary stakeholders. The importance of Restorative Justice stems from the fact that harmful actions (crimes) affect people and their relationships. Hence, stakeholders are paramount in addressing their crimes and should be able to define what justice means for them. This course will draw from the experiences of Restorative Justice and circle processes around the world in order to emphasize the African traditional processes of justice. Some African justice systems such as the Karamanjong system in Uganda, the Gachacha system in Rwanda, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa will be discussed. Participants will be given the opportunity to share their traditional systems in order to enrich learning among participants.