‘Hug-a-hoods’, ‘Ra men’ and ‘touts’: legitimizing restorative justice to the community in Northern Ireland

Although restorative justice organizations in Northern Ireland are now integral parts of the post-conflict landscape and are widely viewed as ‘respectable’, they faced significant initial challenges in gaining local legitimacy. Using a case study approach, this article explores the three primary critiques faced by a local restorative justice organization in West Belfast and the strategies undertaken to counter them. The paper argues that by examining these tactics—including legitimizing restorative approaches, legitimizing the organization and its staff and legitimizing relationships with state agencies—this example offers general lessons for community-based organizations. As such, this case study provides restorative justice schemes and non-state actors with techniques for building legitimacy and respectability at the community level.