Altering Course: New Directions in Criminal Justice: Sentencing Circles and Family Group Conferences

This paper ‘ is a preliminary exploration of two new approaches in criminal justice which have impoftant implications for indigenous and Aboriginal communities- sentencing circles in Canada and family group conferences in Australia. It discusses the emergence of restorative justice and locates these directions within this new paradigm of justice. The creation, theoy, principles and procedures of the two approaches are described and some of the critical evaluation questions are identified. The paper examines the role of victims in sentencing circles and family group conferences and discusses briefly some victim responses to new initiatives. It concludes by arguing that sentencing circles and family group conferences will have to prove themselves before declaring success in redressing concerns with the mainstream criminal justice system upon which the restorative justice movement is based, while, at the same time, recognizing the merit in exploring new approaches.