Summary
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In May 2003, the Virginia state convention of the League of Women Voters proposed and passed a mandate that each local chapter should study the issue of restorative justice, reach consensus on the issue, and make recommendations. In part, this is in view of the fact that the league’s current position on criminal justice was adopted in 1974. Nearly 30 years later, the views of members of the League of Women Voters in Virginia are that it is time to seek and explore alternatives to the conventional criminal system, especially in relation to criminal justice in Virginia and the work of the Virginia League of Women Voters. This article summarizes the main points of the position adopted in 1974, key principles and potential benefits of restorative justice, the need for public education about restorative justice, and the plan for this study by members of the Alexandria League of Women Voters.
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