Justice, Transitional

In the aftermath of war, crimes remain often unpunished. However, political and social actors may endeavor to rectify injustices committed during a conflict. This striving for justice, even if it can be an end in itself from the point of view of the victims, serves more or less explicitly specific goals on a political level. Justice making is either a way to ensure the transition from war to peace or the transition from a dictatorial regime to a democratic one. This is the reason why the justice-making process is often referred to as transitional justice.

Most of the time, transitional justice consists of a combination of different corrective means. Some measures, in particular monetary reparations, pertain to civil law. Others are characteristics of criminal law, as ...