ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we discuss competing definitions of restorative justice, examine the origins and development of this justice movement, and identify some of the obstacles and challenges facing restorative justice. This overview sets the stage for an appraisal of the specific place of restorative justice within the informal-formal justice complex, during which we seek to highlight the social and political conditions that need to be addressed in order to realise the communicative potential of restorative justice.
