The shared principles of harm reduction and Restorative Justice
This is a blog by our Communications and Campaigns Officer, Isabelle Gius.
I joined the team at the beginning of January, and it has been a whirlwind couple of weeks getting settled into the role and learning more about the work that Why me? does and how I fit in.
When I was tasked with writing a short blog in order to introduce myself, I knew that my preference would be a post that is not directly about me (I’m not that interesting!), but rather provides a way into the issues that I am interested in and my own history with Restorative Justice.
My first introduction to Restorative Justice came through my peers and fellow volunteers while I was involved in harm reduction work. Although harm reduction is distinct from Restorative Justice, I believe that the two approaches are deeply aligned – both are committed to reimagining ideas about crime and justice in order to better suit the needs of the most vulnerable people in our society. Both are concerned with preventing, reducing, and repairing harm.
What is harm reduction?
Harm reduction is an approach that affirms the humanity and rights of people who use drugs. Understanding that abstinence is not realistic or necessary for everyone, harm reduction instead focuses on removing stigma, mitigating harm, and improving quality of life.
According to Harm Reduction International, an international NGO that promotes harm reduction: “Harm reduction refers to policies, programmes and practices that aim to minimise the negative health, social and legal impacts associated with drug use, drug policies and drug laws.”
What does harm reduction look like?
Much like Restorative Justice, harm reduction is not a one-size-fits-all approach. In practice, harm reduction can refer to a range of services, including drug testing, needle & syringe programmes, supervised consumption sites, distribution of overdose reversal medication, information about safer drug use, and much more.
How does harm reduction connect to Restorative Justice?
According to the Restorative Justice Council, there are six principles of restorative practice: restoration, voluntarism, impartiality, safety, accessibility, and empowerment. Harm reduction aligns with each of these principles in meaningful ways.
Restoration: Restorative Justice aims to address and repair harms caused by crime and conflict.
Similarly, as the name suggests, harm reduction aims to reduce the negative consequences associated with drug use – including the harms caused by punitive laws and policies. This aim is accompanied by an acknowledgement that harms in society cannot be eliminated completely. Nevertheless harm reduction is grounded in a commitment to positive change, no matter how small.
Voluntarism: Participation in Restorative Justice should always be voluntary and based on informed, ongoing consent.
Much like RJ, a crucial principle of harm reduction is freedom from coercion. It is important that harm reduction services have no requirements or preconditions of support. No one should be excluded from support or forced into rehabilitation based on whether or how they use drugs or engage with services.
Impartiality: Restorative Justice practitioners should remain impartial, and this means they must be respectful and non-discriminatory to participants.
Harm reduction interventions are designed without judgement or bias about drug use and whether or not it is “good” or “bad.” Instead, harm reduction demands that we treat people who use drugs with compassion and respect. This involves a recognition of poverty, racism, sexism, and other inequalities and how they affect drug-related harms.
Safety: The safety of all participants in Restorative Justice is crucial, and the creation of safe spaces enables the open sharing of feelings and experiences.
The goal of harm reduction programmes is to ensure safer drug-using practices and a safer drug supply. Some ways of using drugs are safer than others, and services such as syringe exchanges and drug testing help to enable safer use.
Accessibility: Everyone who has been affected by crime and conflict should be able to access Restorative Justice, provided there is consent and it is safe to do so.
Similarly, harm reduction principles emphasise the importance of meeting people where they are at, meaning that services and resources should be provided directly to communities to minimise barriers to access.
Empowerment: Restorative Justice aims to empower individuals to make their own choices and move forward in their lives.
Both RJ and harm reduction are dedicated to empowering participants and giving them agency. This means that people who use drugs should have a voice in designing the programmes and policies that affect them and should be given freedom to choose what is best for them.
Ultimately, both Restorative Justice and harm reduction recognise that our society is not supporting the people who need it most. What’s the solution? Thoughtful, evidence-based approaches to drug policy and the Criminal Justice System which put those who are most affected at the centre.
If you have any questions or thoughts, don’t hesitate to reach out at isabelle.gius@why-me.org.