The approach to restorative justice is rich with historical and cultural context which predates Native times and differs vastly from the current justice system. In fact, comparing the two is much like comparing apples and bananas; both are fruit however they have differing texture, taste, color, and shape. The current justice system in a multitude of Western societies is primarily focused on identifying and persecuting offenders with little to no regard as to the needs of the victim, the offender, or the community. It is a system in which the state, or the federal government, represents the people yet the people are unable to make contributions to the justice process and consequently the personal dimension of crime is eliminated. Offenders
