• WHO IS JOHN HOWARD SOCIETY?
  • VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
  • OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
  • John Howard
• RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
  • MODELS AND EXPLANATION
  • MEDIA
• PROGRAMS AND SERVICES
  • ALL PROGRAMS
  • HEP C Information
  • SAFER CHOICES SERIES
  • LITERACY SERIES
  • Featured Workbook
• EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
  • CURRENT POSITIONS
• VOLUNTEERS
  • OPPORTUNITIES
  • APPLICATION

What is Restorative Justice?

The John Howard Society believes in restorative justice. This form of justice provides a method of responding to a criminal act, involving victim, offender and community. Together, they work to resolve the harm caused by an offence.

Restorative justice does not appoint blame nor seek revenge or punishment. It seeks to restore balance and harmony in a community and to empower victims by helping them feel stronger again and prevent further crimes from occurring.

Through programs like Restorative, offenders can repair harm by providing services to the community or to individual victims, or by paying back money they have stolen.

Through programs like Restorative Resolutions, offenders can repair harm by providing services to the community or to individual victims, or by paying back money they have stolen.

As one client explained, “Going to jail would have been easier for me because I would not have had to be accountable for what I have done.”

Working in the community, the Society delivers program like Anger Management and Parenting to help offenders learn safer, more effective coping skills. It offers assistance in finding work through its Employment Assistance Program.

Working within the federal and provincial prisons, the John Howard Society builds up men’s self worth through Parenting and Employment programs. Its Literacy workshops and Workbook Series and Harm-Reduction series provide tools and support to help men lead crime-free lives in the future.