Reference no: EM133597875

Case study

One night, a group of 3 teenage boys went up and down the streets of your neighborhood vandalizing cars. They used sticks of deodorant to write on windows. They broke off the side mirrors and antennas. They busted windows with bats. They punctured and slashed tires. Your car was spared but they damaged the cars of 12 of your neighbors. The car owners, who discovered the damage in the morning, were furious. Plans to go to work, drive their kids to school, and run errands were delayed. Some neighbors were just inconvenienced by having to clean their car windows. Others faced inconvenience to varying degrees as well as the financial loss related to damaged antennas, windows, and tires.

The neighbors called the police, who arrived and took a report. The neighborhood then settled in to wait to find out who did it. That night, several neighbors stayed out on their porches until late, ready to deal with the culprits if they come back. By the next day, the boys were arrested. You find out that they are neighborhood boys whom you have known for years.

The police chief just sent everyone in your neighborhood a letter which states that they are going to send the boys through the juvenile system so they will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. You just heard of this thing called "restorative justice" and, when you told your neighbors about it, most were interested in giving it a try. You email the chief to recommend a restorative justice approach and she replies that she doesn't know what you are talking about.

1. Explain what restorative justice is and how it differs from the contemporary justice system;
2. Identify who has been hurt and what the needs and obligations are for all those impacted by or involved in the vandalism;
3. Explain how an RJ approach would benefit all those involved in or impacted by the vandalism.