by David Miers and Jolien Willemsens. Leuven, Belgium: European Forum for Victim-Offender Mediation and Restorative justice.  ISBN 90-901-8752-9.


In 2001, the Home Office in London published An International Review of Restorative Justice by David Miers. Miers compared and contrasted the principle features of restorative justice provision in sixteen European and common law jurisdictions. In order to promote the international exchange of information, the European Forum for Victim-Offender Mediation and Restorative Justice obtained permission from the Home Office to update the review.

This book, edited by David Miers and Jolien Willemsens, provides that update and expands its scope to twenty five countries. Full accounts of restorative justice practices and programmes are given for seventeen: Austria; Belgium; Czech Republic; Denmark; England and Wales; Finland; France; Germany; Italy; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Slovenia; Spain; and Sweden. Short accounts are given for the following eight countries: Albania; Bulgaria; Hungary; Iceland; Ireland; Moldova; Scotland; and Ukraine. Each reviews the legal base, scope, implementation, evaluation, contact addresses, and published material concerning the country's programmes.

This is a useful and comprehensive overview of the incorporation of restorative practices into European criminal justice. It will be of interest to persons seeking information about that region's use of restorative justice as well as to those considering questions and models of the incorporation of restorative justice in public policy.

Gregory Strong
July 2006