Is restorative justice an effective alternative to punishment
such as imprisonment?

The answer to this question really depends on your opinion.

Explanation:

In my opinion, restorative justice can provide a healthy alternative to imprisonment as it can help break the cycle of over-incarceration for many of the offenses, especially in the United States. One country where restorative justice has been especially prevalent is New Zealand, which has used a form of restorative justice in nearly all juvenile programs for the last 20 years. These practices have proven more effective and have better outcomes for everyone involved. The current system of mass incarceration that is used in the United States has been proven unsuccessful and unsustainable. If people recognize crimes are not committed in isolation, but in many cases are committed in the context of communities, restorative justice offers a powerful alternative to incarceration.