Often this is because of lack of trust in the criminal justice system, but often it is because the person who offended and the victim are personally connected in some way. It's much easier to call the police on a stranger than to turn in a family member or a friend. We do not have to throw out restorative alternatives to retributive justice, and slog along with the prison system as the only recourse for a victim of violence. Secondly, we learn that we must measure the balance of power in both traditional and alternative or restorative approaches, and to acknowledge the power imbalances which obstruct equitable justice. Only if the two parties have the same degree of power is that process likely to be a win-win situation.
Prevention is the most obvious goal of transformative justice.
The feminist project of re-educating the public about child abuse and violence against women has been a key prevention project in the past quarter century. It is now well-documented that wherever there are adequate spaces in women's shelters, there are fewer spousal homicides. The community that provides a safe place is protecting the victim from the violence and protecting the perpetrator from a fatal deed with lifetime consequences. Men who seek counsel are learning ways to reconfigure their attitudes toward women, and ways of managing their anger. This is the kind of transformative justice we need to be doing if we're to reduce the demand for punishment.