With more than 2.3 million incarcerated individuals in the United States, prisoners are often regarded as a thrown-away population. While the criminal justice system focuses on giving offenders their "just desserts," it does little to explore or restore the needs or factors that lead to crime.

Restorative justice, with its emphasis on identifying the justice needs of everyone involved in a crime, is helping restore prisoners’ sense of humanity while holding them accountable for their actions.

Toews, with years of experience in prison work, shows how people in prison can live restorative justice principles. She shows how these practices can change prison culture and society.

Written for an incarcerated audience, and for those who work with people in person, this book also clearly outlines the experiences and needs of this under-represented part of our society.