Complete the sentence from the restorative justice passage by choosing the best word: It is not a substitute for the formal criminal justice system, but a good backup to reduce its workload and to increase the sense of justice in the system as a __________.

Introduction / Context:
This question assesses understanding of a common expression used to describe a system in its complete form. The passage states that restorative justice increases the sense of justice in the system "as a whole". The blank requires a word that naturally follows the article "a" and fits the phrase "the system as a whole".

Given Data / Assumptions:

Sentence: "a good backup to reduce its workload and to increase the sense of justice in the system as a __________."

The reference is to the criminal justice system considered in its entirety.

Options: "total", "aggregate", "whole", "entirety".

The phrase must be grammatically and idiomatically correct.

Concept / Approach:

The expression "as a whole" is a fixed phrase meaning "considered in all its parts together".

"Total" and "aggregate" are adjectives or nouns used differently and do not usually follow "as a" in this way.

"Entirety" is a noun but typically used with "in its entirety", not "as a entirety".

Therefore, "whole" is the expected word in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the structure "the system as a __________". Step 2: Recall the standard phrase "as a whole", which fits perfectly with "the system". Step 3: Evaluate option a, "total". Phrases like "as a total" are not idiomatic; "total" is mainly an adjective. Step 4: Evaluate option b, "aggregate". The expression "as a aggregate" is incorrect; we would say "as an aggregate" if we used it at all, but this is not common in this context. Step 5: Evaluate option c, "whole". The phrase "as a whole" is widely used and sounds natural and precise. Step 6: Evaluate option d, "entirety". We generally say "in its entirety", not "as a entirety", so this does not fit. Step 7: Conclude that "whole" is the only choice that produces the familiar phrase "the system as a whole".

Verification / Alternative check:
Legal and academic writing often uses expressions like "society as a whole", "the economy as a whole", and "the system as a whole". Substituting "whole" into the given sentence preserves this recognised pattern and clearly communicates that the entire system benefits. Hence, option c is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option a is wrong because "as a total" is not a fixed or natural phrase here. Option b is wrong because "aggregate" does not follow "as a" in normal usage in this context and would require a different article. Option d is wrong because the noun "entirety" is usually used in the phrase "in its entirety", rather than after "as a".

Common Pitfalls:
Students may pick a word based only on the idea of completeness without considering the fixed expression "as a whole". Another pitfall is ignoring articles and how they interact with the following noun. Learning common phrases such as "as a whole" helps not only in answering such questions but also in writing clear and natural English.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is: whole.