The project will be conducted in three phases.  The first phase will be to construct the parameters of the model.  To do this it will be necessary to address two key concerns about whether restorative justice could respond to all cases in a locality, state/province or country. 

The first concern arises because some conditions have traditionally been viewed as prerequisites for a restorative response (admission of guilt, willingness to participate, ability to make reparation, etc.). What happens when those conditions are not present?  How could a system respond restoratively with all serious crimes as well as all minor ones?  With offenders and victims who are unwilling or unable to participate, as well as to those who are willing and able?  With cases in which the accused denies guilt? A fully restorative justice system of the sort anticipated by this project must be capable of effectively and restoratively addressing the myriad conditions and issues that are normal and routine in the administration of justice.

The second issue has to do with the feasibility of such a system.  The "criminal justice system" is not a system at all, but a collection of responses by public and private agencies, often in the context of conflicting goals and interests.  Is it reasonable to suggest that a system with restorative values and norms could be implemented when so many different players must be involved?  Furthermore, political concerns are (and should be) of great importance to policymakers.  How might a policymaker consider alternative strategies for introducing and implementing a restorative system?  Finally, can a restorative system handle high volumes of cases efficiently yet restoratively?

Work on this first phase will be conducted largely on the web.  RJOnline (www.restorativejustice.org) will soon feature a page called RJ City that will include papers related to the project and forums on the issues raised.  Anyone who wishes to do so may participate.  An advisory team, including a systems engineer, will help PFI incorporate the best restorative thinking as it settles on parameters for the model.  The engineer will be responsible for preparing specifications for the creation of a computer simulation of the model.

Phase two of the project will be the development of the computer simulation based on the parameters set in phase one.  The result will be a simulation that will demonstrate how such a restorative system would work in a specific jurisdiction.  This will help test the comprehensiveness and feasibility of the restorative system model.

Phase three will be to modify the simulation to permit entry actual data to determine how such a restorative system might work in particular jurisdictions.  This will provide a further test of the comprehensiveness and feasibility of the restorative system model.  If successful, it could also provide a means for policymakers to explore the implications of adopting such a system and to visualise the benefits and costs it would bring.

Funding for the first phase, projected to last 18 months, has been received.  Funding for phases two and three is being sought.

For notification when the RJ City page is ready, please send your email address to RJOnline.

August 2001