Restorative justice
According to Howard Zehr, "Two people have made very specific and profound contributions to practices in the field – the First Nations people of Canada and the U.S., and the Maori of New Zealand... [I]n many ways, restorative justice represents a validation of values and practices that were characteristic of many indigenous groups," whose traditions were "often discounted and repressed by western colonial powers". For example, in New Zealand, prior to European contact, the Maori had a well-developed system called Utu that protected individuals, social stability and the integrity of the group. Restorative justice (sometimes known in these contexts as "circle justice") continues to be a feature of indigenous justice systems today.