Jaquisha MagruderProfessor SoniPSC 430FinalRestorative justice takes an approach that focuses on the community as a whole. Victims, offenders and the community are all included in this approach to justice. This approach allows victims to take an active role, but strongly pushes offenders to take responsibility for their wrong actions. In this way, the offender is repairing the damage he or she has done. They do this by returning stolen money or goods, apologizing, and working in the community. Restorative justice gives the victim and offender the opportunity to focus on themselves. Restorative justice offers support to the offender and helps prevent future events. Everyone affected by the crimes has the opportunity to discuss their personal experiences and how it has affected them. The community must take an active role in addressing the crimes that have been committed. This can include talking about very traumatic experiences they have had and having to revisit them, which can be very difficult. The restorative justice approach is one way to encourage the reconciliation process. The main idea encouraged through restorative justice is that time heals. The benefits of restorative justice are that victims can present their stories to the offenders and this makes it more personal. Victims are able to speak directly to offenders and express how the crimes committed against them have affected their lives. This also provides a therapeutic experience for the victim. This will ensure that the offender may be able to empathize with the victim and their experience. Offenders also have the option of being heard at a community conference rather than in court. Another… middle of paper… Tutu that South Africa could not move forward without confronting the past. The 22,000 testimonies heard in those years were heartbreaking and it was sad to hear that so many had suffered in silence. Desmond Tutu was deeply affected by the stories he heard, he became very emotional during some testimonies, but he did not want to divert attention from the victims. “Without forgiveness there is no future”. The archbishop had a sense of what people wanted and what they needed and wanted to help find ways to give it to them. The people in South Africa really appreciated it and it was therapeutic to take the stand and testify before Desmond. Forgiveness is a big goal for the commission and has been implemented. The terrible crimes committed were not denied, but the people were able to face them head on and began their healing process.