Victim-Offender Mediation as a Model of Restorative Justice

Abstract

This chapter delves into the emergence of restorative justice in the 1960s, rooted in the conflict resolution methods of indigenous communities in the United States and Canada. Contrasting sharply with traditional criminal justice, restorative justice places disputing parties at the forefront, enabling offenders to confess their guilt directly to victims through dialogue, aiming to repair harm and achieve satisfaction and social reintegration. This chapter illuminates restorative justice's concept, origins, characteristics, principles, and differences from conventional justice. It explores victim-offender mediation, highlighting its advantages, and examines restorative justice practices in Egypt, including the criminal reconciliation system and police mediation. This chapter raises key questions about these practices and their application in the Arab context, offering insights into a field yet to gain widespread recognition in the region. Employing an analytical descriptive approach, it relies on legal references to deepen understanding and development.