... has become mainstream following the establishment of youth offender panels under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. And there are already existing restorative practices in place within the criminal justice system amongst them; probation, restitution and community service (Zehr, 1995). Admittedly they are not readily termed restorative justice programs but they are grounded in its theory. The increasing popularity of using the restorative method in place of the traditional 'retributive system' has led to increasing optimism: That its no longer just another possible option available in some places at various points in the criminal justice system, but that it could in the future become the basis for which the penal system operates on (Meirs, D, 2002). Restorative justice is still a relatively new area, not often understood and is most definitely often misunderstood by those who are not directly involved in it (Johnstone, 2002). The confusion that surrounds ...

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