Forgiveness in restorative justice: Experienced but not heard?

Abstract

Legislation placing restorative justice at the heart of the youth justice system in Northern Ireland was implemented in 2003. Since then more than 17,000 restorative conferences have been facilitated. Youth conferences have been evaluated very positively. Yet it is rarely reported that victims forgive those that have harmed them. This article examines various discourses on forgiveness in relation to the practice of restorative justice. It then critically examines the practice and the theoretical underpinning of restorative conferences in Northern Ireland inquiring whether the concept of forgiveness is irrelevant or whether it does occur but is simply not articulated.