Type:	Book Chapter
Title:	Domestic violence and restorative justice initiatives: who pays if we get it wrong?
Other Titles:	Restorative justice and family violence
Authors:	Busch, Ruth
Keywords:	Restorative justice
Year:	2002
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Notes:	Critically evaluates some of the arguments regarding the appropriateness of restorative justice models of intervention to domestic violence situations, in particular the use of family mediation, family group and community conferencing in Australia and New Zealand. Inadequacies of the court and legal systems in dealing with domestic violence are also highlighted and some recent developments discussed. Focusing on the power imbalances and safety issues which can arise in the context of restorative justice practices, it is argued that the expansion of these practices from youth justice to domestic violence has occurred without a thorough assessment of their potential consequences and limitations. Underlying assumptions of restorative justice models are challenged and the Pennell and Burford Conferencing Model is proposed as a possible alternative to current models which fail to adequately address women's and children’s safety and the diversity of women’s experiences. [Appended From Merge Migration] Rates of interpersonal violence are significantly higher amongst Aboriginal communities than in the general Australian population. In this chapter, the author looks at several Western Australian projects that were concerned with Indigenous family violence prevention, intervention and treatment. He reports that Indigenous people believe any effective remedy would need to be holistic and community based, as conventional criminal justice methods would simply perpetuate the cycle. A model of restorative justice specifically designed for Indigenous communities needs to be developed in order to empower Aboriginal women, educate the offenders and achieve effective outcomes. The author believes that justice models involving Indigenous people should be brought into line with Aboriginal law. Author's Address: Research Fellow, Crime Research Centre, University of Western Australia, WA 6907 References: p249-278
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/11201
ISBN:	9780521521659
Physical description:	xi, 288 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
Appears in Collections:	Book Chapters

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