EFFECTIVENESS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM

AUTHOR – DEEPSHIKHA MADHESIYA* & DR ANUPRIYA YADAV**

* STUDENT AT AMITY UNIVERSITY LUCKNOW

** ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT AMITY UNIVERSITY LUCKNOW

BEST CITATION – DEEPSHIKHA MADHESIYA & DR ANUPRIYA YADAV, EFFECTIVENESS OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 6 (2) OF 2026, PG. 345-352, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

ABSTRACT

The recurring issue of recidivism has revealed how traditional punitive criminal justice systems can be severely limited in their ability to provide long-term reform of offenders or produce any kind of impact on victim redress. Restorative justice has since developed as an alternative structure to restore accountability, involvement of victims, participation of community and redressing the damage caused by the criminal acts. In this study, the efficacy of restorative justice in the minimization of recidivism is critically analyzed by the doctrinal and comparative study of the restorative practices in various jurisdictions. The paper analyses the suitability of the restorative justice mechanisms to provide quantifiable benefits over traditional retributive methods by analyzing theoretical underpinnings, empirical evidence, and individual jurisdictional experience of the procedures in the chosen countries. According to the analysis, restorative justice may help reduce recidivism rates, especially in juvenile and first-time offenders, in addition to increasing satisfaction of victims and reintegrating offenders. The research finds that restorative justice is an effective reformative instrument, which can empower the rehabilitative benefits and enhance a more multifaceted and functional criminal justice system.

Keywords:
Restorative Justice, Recidivism, Criminal Justice Reform, Rehabilitation, Victim-Offender Mediation