Restorative Justice in Cases of Intimate Partner Violence in the United States: A Metasynthesis

Abstract

Restorative justice (RJ) has been applied to intimate partner violence (IPV) cases, but some question whether RJ is appropriate for IPV. This review is the first to focus on qualitative research on how RJ is interpreted and used in IPV cases in the United States. Six articles met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicated that RJ is used with the criminal legal system (CLS), initiated by the victim, and is not community-oriented. Concerns for victims being harmed or retraumatized were not supported in RJ processes happening in relation to the CLS, with some providers highlighting the importance of facilitation training and techniques. Additional research is needed to explore RJ processes and their relationship to the CLS for IPV.