ABSTRACT
This chapter casts a retrospective glance over the book which, at its core, aimed to explore whether restorative justice can be institutionalised without becoming severely compromised and stretched beyond recognition, and, if so, under what conditions can a principled and radical restorative justice thrive. The chapter provides critical appraisal on the distinguishing features of the book, especially on the insights the contributors offered in relation to the crossroads and dilemmas of mainstreaming, growth, upscaling and institutionalising restorative justice. The chapter concludes the book by arguing that we must go beyond the usual dichotomous and rather sterile ways of thinking about the topic of institutionalisation, and highlights the multiple nuanced positions expressed by the authors which engage, grapple with and critically and creatively propose ways of dealing with the tensions and dilemmas. It highlights the fundamental demand emerging from the book – for the restorative justice movement to keep alimenting its quest for justice.
