Ninety-five percent of all offenders are released, most of whom return to family members who have suffered greatly from their loved one's criminal behavior; yet, research on their victimization and trauma is rare. Additionally, families anticipate a role in the offender's reintegration; however, little research has explored their own recovery and insights on their reintegrative efforts. This qualitative phenomenological study sought to discover a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of 13 offender family members in Texas. Participants were recruited through community organizations and selected through a purposeful sampling strategy to ensure diversity. The data were collected through screening and face-to-face interviews and analyzed through iterative hand coding and thematic development, supported by secondary coding review and participant verification. Concepts explored included victimization within a trauma-informed environment, whereby support systems understand the impact of trauma on individuals and reintegration within a restorative justice model, which aims to restore individual and community trust. Results found that participants voiced consistent themes of victimization, presented effective coping mechanisms and overall continued relationships with friends, family members, and the community. Findings also showed that participants anticipated roles of both emotional and instrumental support and reported an interest in their involvement with a restorative justice option for the offender upon his reentry. The findings draw no definitive conclusions on the degree of family member victimization but do promote social change for developing policies that collaboratively engage family members within the judicial and reentry process to reduce recidivism.

Conferencing is a Restorative Justice practice operating in juvenile justice systems in Australia. Some conferences are convened by police, despite research demonstrating that ethnic minority youth often view police as biased or untrustworthy. Justice research in evaluative legal procedures indicates that perceived third party bias and outcomes delivered by a third party affect fairness judgments. Many disputants regard conferences as more fair than court. However, psychological mechanisms underlying fairness judgments in conferences, where offenders participate in outcome decisions, have not been directly investigated. This research program examined the effects of outcome and perceived convenor bias on procedural and distributive justice ratings in conferencing. Past research indicates that people high and low on Hofstede??s power-distance dimension differ in their emphases on outcome and third party bias when forming fairness judgments. This thesis investigated whether power-distance moderated the interactive effect of trust and outcome on fairness judgments in conferences. Study 1 established power-distance variation in a university sample, and similarity with a community sample on perceived police bias. Study 2 confirmed that high power-distance people who consider police biased against them may nonetheless choose to participate in police-convened conferences. Studies 3 and 4 extended previous research examining interactive effects of trust and outcome on justice judgments in evaluative procedures, investigating whether power-distance moderated this effect. No significant effects of power-distance and trust emerged, but the findings demonstrated the importance of outcome fairness (correspondence between outcomes and beliefs) in determining procedural justice. Studies 5, 6 and 7 extended this investigation to conferencing procedures. Studies 6 and 7 employed a computer-simulation, allowing participants to interact with a conference transcript and select outcomes, thereby investigating the effects of trust and power-distance on outcome choice, as well as the effects of trust, power-distance, and outcome on justice evaluations. Studies 5 and 6 were unsuccessful in manipulating bias by varying convenor identity (police versus civilian). Study 7 successfully manipulated bias according to convenor behaviour and revealed that third party bias in conferencing affected outcome choices but not fairness judgments. Results are discussed in terms of implications for culturally-relevant police practices, procedural justice theory and conferencing policy.

The focus of the study is on restorative experiences and the relationship between these experiences and psychological well-being. The variety of experiences that people experience as restorative were explored, as well as how often these experiences occurred. A working definition were written since no generally accepted definition of restorative experiences exists. A checklist with 22 categories of restorative experiences has also been drawn up. Students completed psychological well-being questionnaires and the results were used to form two groups: one with higher and one with lower levels of psychological well-being. The two groups were compared in terms of the restorative experiences present in their lives. Nature emerged as the most popular restorative environment. Rest was the most popular category with subcategories for sleep and holidays. Interpersonal contact was also a popular category for both groups. The categories for eating and drinking and activities that are damaging to the body showed important differences between groups in terms of popularity and frequency. The group with the higher levels of psychological well-being shows signs of a healthier lifestyle and they have a greater capacity to postpone gratification. In addition, they show fewer signs of substance dependency, fewer symptoms of psychological disorders and less avoidance than the group with the lower levels of psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Restorative justice was first used in Saskatchewan in 1985 and experienced a meteoric rise over the next two decades. In Saskatchewan, the use of restorative justice is not authorized for certain ‘serious’ offences, including sexual assault and family violence. While the overriding sense is that restorative justice programs have been successful, the momentum surrounding restorative justice has begun to taper off. Exploration into the use of restorative justice with more serious offences is being contemplated to combat the movement’s stagnation. Despite the rapid expansion of restorative justice agencies and organizations in Saskatchewan, little research has been conducted on these programs. In other jurisdictions, the research conducted has largely focused on program outcomes rather than the processes involved. There is also a gap in the research respecting how justice professionals view restorative justice and, in particular, how certain issues, such as safety and power imbalances, are currently addressed and will be addressed if more serious offences are referred to programs. To fill this gap, I conducted a qualitative study to determine how well those involved with Saskatchewan restorative justice programs, such as Crown prosecutors, police and program staff, believe programs are handling the offences currently referred. I also sought their views on the prospect of authorizing the use of restorative justice for more serious offences and what, if anything, must be changed in current programs to meet additional needs. The study revealed a mix of views across the professions, but generally justice professionals in Saskatchewan are resistant to the idea of referring more serious offences to restorative justice programs. Participation in a restorative justice process most deeply influenced views on whether restorative justice is appropriate for more serious offences. The concerns expressed about programs are poor practice or administrative in nature, and are fixable by employing best practices. A provincial strategic plan is needed for restorative justice to move forward. The plan should focus on determining clear goals and measures of success; committing to a set of best practices; more evaluation of programs and the effect of restorative justice on recidivism rates; expanded training for all justice professionals; and a greater investment in ensuring the ‘right’ person is in the room during restorative justice processes. The plan will gain the confidence of justice professionals, policy makers and the public in the ability of restorative justice to handle more serious offences.

Restorative justice, a social movement seeking to introduce reform in the operation of the traditional criminal justice system, has seen a marked proliferation of its initiatives over the last decade in countries like Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Restorative processes are those in which offenders, victims and/or others affected by a crime participate often with the help of a facilitator, in the resolution of matters arising from that crime. Prevailing literature indicates that the intellectual heritage of restorative justice is diverse and rooted in a myriad of theories, beliefs, values and customs. Restorative justice is also used to describe a bewildering range of practices and programmes. While restorative justice draws on existing traditional, indigenous and religious beliefs in dealing with disputes, effective restorative justice practices depend on a well functioning and credible criminal justice system. The current preoccupation with restorative justice by advocates for criminal justice reform is closely related to low levels of access to justice on the part of many South Africans. The extraordinarily high rates of violent crimes in South Africa clearly suggest that restorative justice cannot replace current penal law and procedure. Effective and innovative integration of restorative processes into the formal criminal justice system is just one of the many challenges facing criminal justice systems worldwide. The question that arises is whether restorative processes can and should inform a greater proportion of justice system activity? In answer to this question the present study critically explores the development of the restorative justice paradigm in South Africa both within the criminal justice system, as well as initiatives taking place outside it Since 1994 there have been numerous policies that have sought to incorporate restorative principles. Notwithstanding its growing popularity, its integration into the national criminal justice agenda for reform is fraught with difficulties, both theoretical and practical. The study highlights the difficulties associated with applying restorative approaches in cases of intimate violence against women and children and proposes that the primary focus should be on victim safety and not merely offence seriousness and willingness of the offender or victim to participate. dearly the agenda for implementation and strengthening of restorative practices in the criminal justice system has to go hand in hand with the provision of victim services and support. An integrated, multi-sectoral approach involving collaboration with the relevant government departments is suggested, so that clear strategies may be developed in order that responses may be facilitated from the moment a crime occurs until the final restorative elements have been completed. The study concludes by making recommendations in respect of implementation, policy and law reform, practice guidelines and standards, skills development and training, and curriculum development in the field of restorative justice. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.

No description available.

The focus of the study is on restorative experiences and the relationship between these experiences and psychological well-being. The variety of experiences that people experience as restorative were explored, as well as how often these experiences occurred. A working definition were written since no generally accepted definition of restorative experiences exists. A checklist with 22 categories of restorative experiences has also been drawn up. Students completed psychological well-being questionnaires and the results were used to form two groups: one with higher and one with lower levels of psychological well-being. The two groups were compared in terms of the restorative experiences present in their lives. Nature emerged as the most popular restorative environment. Rest was the most popular category with subcategories for sleep and holidays. Interpersonal contact was also a popular category for both groups. The categories for eating and drinking and activities that are damaging to the body showed important differences between groups in terms of popularity and frequency. The group with the higher levels of psychological well-being shows signs of a healthier lifestyle and they have a greater capacity to postpone gratification. In addition, they show fewer signs of substance dependency, fewer symptoms of psychological disorders and less avoidance than the group with the lower levels of psychological well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This thesis explores the recent introduction of restorative justice into the youth justice system in England. It examines the historical and political context from which current youth justice policies have emerged and aims to evaluate how this new system is functioning 'on the ground' several years after being implemented. Specifically, the primary aim of the research is to investigate final warnings and referral orders. The findings are based on an in-depth study of one Youth Offending Team (YOT). The research adopted a predominantly qualitative, case study based method utilizing techniques of observation, informal conversations, formal interviews with the young offenders and their supporters as well as with authority figures who are amongst those responsible for policy and practice in the youth justice system. The substantive chapters of this thesis focus on the delivery of final warnings, referral order panel meetings, victim participation, and the structural, cultural and political influences on YOT practice. This research concludes that at present, restorative practices in England are seriously compromised. However, simply because these programmes experience difficulties, they should not necessarily be considered a failure. The present failures in practice are not related to the philosophical foundation of these programmes or even to the way in which they have been set up. Rather, the current shortcomings in practice are due mostly to a failure of implementation on the part of the YOT. The final warning and referral order programmes, if improved, have the potential to become an effective first encounter with the criminal justice system and to impact positively on many first time offenders.

Conferencing is a Restorative Justice practice operating in juvenile justice systems in Australia. Some conferences are convened by police, despite research demonstrating that ethnic minority youth often view police as biased or untrustworthy. Justice research in evaluative legal procedures indicates that perceived third party bias and outcomes delivered by a third party affect fairness judgments. Many disputants regard conferences as more fair than court. However, psychological mechanisms underlying fairness judgments in conferences, where offenders participate in outcome decisions, have not been directly investigated. This research program examined the effects of outcome and perceived convenor bias on procedural and distributive justice ratings in conferencing. Past research indicates that people high and low on Hofstede??s power-distance dimension differ in their emphases on outcome and third party bias when forming fairness judgments. This thesis investigated whether power-distance moderated the interactive effect of trust and outcome on fairness judgments in conferences. Study 1 established power-distance variation in a university sample, and similarity with a community sample on perceived police bias. Study 2 confirmed that high power-distance people who consider police biased against them may nonetheless choose to participate in police-convened conferences. Studies 3 and 4 extended previous research examining interactive effects of trust and outcome on justice judgments in evaluative procedures, investigating whether power-distance moderated this effect. No significant effects of power-distance and trust emerged, but the findings demonstrated the importance of outcome fairness (correspondence between outcomes and beliefs) in determining procedural justice. Studies 5, 6 and 7 extended this investigation to conferencing procedures. Studies 6 and 7 employed a computer-simulation, allowing participants to interact with a conference transcript and select outcomes, thereby investigating the effects of trust and power-distance on outcome choice, as well as the effects of trust, power-distance, and outcome on justice evaluations. Studies 5 and 6 were unsuccessful in manipulating bias by varying convenor identity (police versus civilian). Study 7 successfully manipulated bias according to convenor behaviour and revealed that third party bias in conferencing affected outcome choices but not fairness judgments. Results are discussed in terms of implications for culturally-relevant police practices, procedural justice theory and conferencing policy.

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-179). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.