The development and frontiers of restorative justice

This chapter provides an overview of the development of restorative justice, encompassing its theoretical, practical, policy and research dimensions, while also highlighting some of its frontiers. The development of restorative justice is organised into four phases that aim to systematically trace the evolution of the past fifty years in the field, more specifically the germination and experimentation phase, the breakthrough phase, the consolidation phase and the maturation and innovation phase. The chapter also highlights a few frontiers in policy, practice and theory shaping the field today, such as restorative justice for serious cases, critical analysis on policy-making and institutionalisation, upscaling and expanding restorative justice, and arts and restorative justice.