Which model focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior?

Restorative justice is a model that specifically aims at addressing the harm caused by criminal behavior. It emphasizes repairing relationships and restoring trust within the community by engaging all stakeholders. This approach prioritizes the needs of the victims, offenders, and the community rather than solely focusing on punishment. Through dialogue and collaboration, restorative justice allows for the acknowledgment of harm, encourages responsibility from the offenders, and seeks to provide support for victims to heal.

In contrast to this, retributive justice is rooted in the idea of punishment, focusing largely on making the offender suffer for their actions rather than repairing the harm done. Distributive justice deals with the allocation of resources and fairness in distribution, while procedural justice emphasizes the fairness in processes and procedures used in legal systems—neither of which address the specific concept of repairing harm caused by criminal actions. This distinct focus on harm repair and community involvement is what sets restorative justice apart.