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Making amends

Radzik, Linda
June 4, 2015

Source: (2007) in, Gerry Johnstone and Daniel W. Van Ness, eds., Handbook of Restorative Justice. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing. pp. 192-208

“In this chapter, I will explore this tense relation between the making of amends, respect for the agency of the offender and the role of the liberal state. First, I will present a moral theory of the making of amends, which is inspired by the restorative justice literature. This will give us a clearer view of what the ideal in question is. Then I will briefly point out how restorative justice practices in criminal legal systems seem to serve this ideal. In the second half of the chapter, I will develop further the objections already mentioned: that the making of amends is neither a possbile nor an appropriate goal for the liberal state. I will also suggest some ways in which restorative justice theorists might attempt to defend themselves against these objections.” (excerpt)

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