Therapeutic Prosecutions?

Over the past twenty years, the global community has shown a renewed commitment to the pursuit of international criminal justice. A hallmark development in this regard is the establishment of the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC). A central asset of the court is victim and witness participation, based on an assumption that this approach will benefit those who have been affected by the crimes and their communities. This policy brief explores the therapeutic potential and pitfalls of this approach based on a literature review, relevant studies in the field and initial interviews at the ICC.