ABSTRACT
The introductory chapter opens with the story of the Māori activist, Tame Iti, and two justice rituals he underwent following his arrest for illegal possession of firearms and belonging to a criminal group. It examines the impact of Iti’s criminal trial and of the restorative process he and his family later went through with police, demonstrating how different justice needs were fulfilled by each ritual process. The chapter then gives an overview of what restorative justice is and why this book employs a ritual framework for examining the restorative justice process. Possible reasons for resistance to the identification of restorative justice as a ritual are then reviewed. Finally, this chapter provides an overview of the research approach and the importance of researching in a way that is in alignment with restorative values.
