Modified Circles Vs. Restorative Justice System

Circles are a method of restorative encounter that can be traced back to 1992 when they were first used in the town of Mayo in the Yukon Territory of Canada. The judge that first used this method saw a number of advantages to using the circle. He pointed out that some advantages were that it promoted a shared sense of responsibility, it involved the offender and the victim, it created a constructive environment, and it extended the focus to the underlying cause (Van Ness & Strong, 2010). These are some of the advantages that are focused on today when circles are used in the restorative justice system, but now there is something known as a Modified Circle, which varies some from the traditional Restorative circle. The two types of circles have

The main difference between the two types of circles is the parties involved in the circle. Restorative Circles tend to involve the offender, victim, friends and family, members of the community, and usually representatives of the justice system (Van Ness & Strong, 2010). Modified Circles typically include the facilitators, the inmate whose situation is being discussed, and other inmates who may benefit from helping their fellow inmate. The Modified Circle does not mean to exclude the other parties normally involved in Restorative Circles, but it can just be difficult to invite the other parties and have them show up. It can be time consuming and almost impossible when inviting loved ones to attend the circle. Many inmates do not have loved ones that are willing or able to attend, which can make it difficult to find individuals to invite. The problem with this being time consuming is that some inmates have limited time, like Eric who only had a week before he

There is a question of whether or not the victim still receives the outcome he or she is looking for. In most cases, the victim probably wants to see the offender show empathy, have a desire to turn his or her life around, and know that the offender will not hurt anyone else. Although the victim may not be as aware of this when a Modified Circle is used, it can still be accomplished. When Modified Circles are used, inmates still take responsibility for their actions, work on plan to change their behavior, and strive to create a better version of themselves. If these outcomes are what most victims are looking for, then they can still be accomplished in the absence of the