The use of restorative justice for environmental crime

Restorative justice is a way of responding to criminal behaviour by balancing the needs of the community, the victims and the offenders. It brings together victims, offenders and the community to resolve collectively how to deal with matters arising from the crime, including the harm caused, and the implications for the future. To date, restorative justice has been used only occasionally by the courts in dealing with environmental crime. This article explores the potential for the use of restorative processes in dealing with environmental crime that yields benefits for the victim, offender, community and environment.