David O'Mahony

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• Professor
• Professor at University of Essex

The task of delineating an appropriate role for the victim in the criminal justice system has been the subject of considerable debate in academia and policy circles for some time. While victim participation is considered something of a sine qua non of the restorative paradigm, many commentators remain sceptical of victim input in conventional sente...

This book proposes a new theoretical lens through which the theory and practice of restorative justice can be analysed. Given the sheer pace of recent developments in the field, there has been a clear need to re-evaluate the utility of some of the prevailing benchmark theories and to reimagine the shape and role of theory in guiding restorative jus...

Restorative justice literature is replete with references to ‘benchmarks’ or ‘indicators’ of good practice. As with many other criminal justice interventions – statistics on the use of conferencing are commonly used to attest its success (or, in some cases, failures). Over the past three decades, commentators have proposed a range of frameworks con...

Restorative justice principles often feature prominently in peace agreements and initiatives to foster reconciliation and peace-building. As part of its own transitional process, Northern Ireland has undertaken a wide-ranging programme of criminal justice reform, whereby restorative practices have become a central response to juvenile offending. Dr...

Criminal justice reform plays a pivotal role in helping to foster reconciliation and peace-building in postconflict societies. In the wake of their respective political transitions, both Northern Ireland and South Africa have formulated proposals for reform of their youth justice systems based upon restorative principles. This article analyses the...

This report presents an overview of restorative justice provision within Constabularies across England and Wales in 2018 and builds on a previous survey conducted in 2009. The research reveals that restorative interventions have a long history in some Constabularies, that they are widely used across most forces and that there has been an increased...

This chapter reimagines restorative justice as a system which identifies the empowerment of victims and offenders as fundamental normative goals within criminal justice. Fostering agency and accountability among participants are the underlying values which provide both the justification for that goal (ie why re-empowerment matters) as well as the k...

Moral Rhetoric and the Criminalisation of Squatting explores the significance of measures to criminalise squatting for squatters, owners and communities. The book also interrogates wider themes that draw on political philosophy, social policy, criminal justice and the nature of ownership, to consider how the assimilation of squatting to a contempor...

Northern Ireland is unique in Europe with restorative justice and restorative practices having been mainstreamed within its juvenile justice system. Implanting restorative justice within its juvenile justice system came about following many years of conflict and the subsequent peace process in the late 1990s. As part of that process a series of ref...

Restorative Justice and Transitional Justice are two distinct, through closely over-lapping, concepts which have been catapulted to the forefront of legal and criminological discourse over the course of the past two decades. Their growth has been nothing short of prolific: in both theoretical and practical terms. The conceptual overlap between rest...

This article examines the incorporation of restorative principles and practices within reforms of Northern Ireland’s youth justice system, adopted following the peace process. It considers whether restorative justice principles can be successfully incorporated into criminal justice reform as part of a process of transitional justice. The article ar...

Criminal justice reform plays a pivotal role in helping to foster reconciliation and peace-building in post-conflict societies. In the wake of their respective political transitions, both Northern Ireland and South Africa have formulated proposals for reform of their youth justice systems based upon restorative principles. This article analyses the...

This article analyses the emergence and impact of restorative justice within youth justice in England and Wales. It critically examines progress that has been made, highlighting how restorative initiatives have been largely targeted towards ‘diversionary’ applications, low level offending, or first time offenders. It contrasts developments and rese...

Restorative justice principles often feature prominently in peace agreements and initiatives to foster reconciliation and peace-building. As part of its own transitional process, Northern Ireland has undertaken a wide-ranging programme of criminal justice reform, whereby restorative practices have become a central response to juvenile offending. Dr...

This chapter looks at the self-reported offending behaviour of school children in the Republic of Ireland. The findings are derived from the administration of international self-reported delinquency (ISRD2) questionnaire to a sample of students mostly aged 13–15 years (n = 1,570) in their first, second and third years of secondary school across a n...

Restorative justice can be viewed as a victim-centred approach which conceptualises criminal behaviour in a very different manner from which it has been traditionally conceived within orthodox models of criminal justice. In recent years, it has come to exert an increasingly strong influence over juvenile justice systems as policymakers have become...

This report was commissioned by the National Commission on Restorative Justice. It aims to inform the Commission of relevant research relating to the concept and practice of restorative justice abroad, and contains an overview of main issues and concerns which commonly arise when restorative justice reforms are implemented. This report provides an...

This article considers the role of community in a new model of restorative youth conferencing that has recently been introduced in Northern Ireland. It notes the considerable advantages of enhancing community involvement in criminal justice, but also recognises concerns particularly for a society that is just emerging from years of conflict. Whilst...

Though Northern Ireland is a relatively small jurisdiction within Ireland and the United Kingdom with a population of just over 1.7 million (of which about 183,000 are 10–16 years of age—the current age of criminal responsibility for children), it has its own unique system of youth justice which very recently has undergone significant transformatio...

Restorative justice has become a core element of much youth justice policy and practice internationally. Within the UK, it has been incorporated into several aspects of the youth justice system, notably through new police cautioning procedures and referral orders. In this chapter we critically analyse restorative approaches to youth justice, focusi...

This report is based on a major research evaluation into youth conferencing in Northern Ireland. Many people helped in the process of conducting the research. We are especially grateful to all of the participants – victims, offenders, parents and supporters, conference coordinators, police officers and other professionals - at the conferences we at...

Though Northern Ireland is a relatively small jurisdiction within Ireland and the United Kingdom with a population of just over 1.7 million (of which about 183,000 are 10–16 years of age — the current age of criminal responsibility for children), it has its own unique system of youth justice which very recently has undergone significant transformat...

In recent years there has been a considerable growth in the use of restorative justice schemes, particularly for young offenders. This article describes how two police-led restorative cautioning pilots for juveniles operated in Northern Ireland. The pilots were found to offer a number of distinct advantages over the traditional cautioning practice...

This report presents the interim findings of an evaluation of the recently introduced Northern Ireland youth conferencing initiative in 2003. The findings are based on research conducted by the Institute of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Queen’s University, Belfast and focus on the functioning of the scheme in the early months of its operation...

This article gives a brief outline of juvenile crime and the operation of the juvenile justice system in Northern Ireland. It looks critically at how the justice system works and at some recent developments in practice and legislation, and it considers some of the obstacles and opportunities that are emerging at a time of change, especially followi...

This article gives a brief outline of juvenile crime and the operation of the juvenile justice system in Northern Ireland. It looks critically at how the justice system works and at some recent developments in practice and legislation, and it considers some of the obstacles and opportunities that are emerging at a time of change, especially followi...

This article is based upon a survey of partners of politically motivated prisoners in Northern Ireland. It examines issues related to the visiting experience, the maintenance of contact through letters, home leave and release, and the provision of support from extended family, civil society and professional agencies. The authors argue that while th...

This review of juvenile crime and justice has been prepared for the Criminal Justice Review Group which was set up following the Good Friday Agreement to provide a wide-ranging review of criminal justice in Northern Ireland. The review was commissioned to help inform the Review Group of relevant research information in and around the broad area of...