Restoration or renovation? Evaluating restorative justice outcomes

Authors

Jaimie P. Beven
Guy Hall
Irene Froyland, Edith Cowan UniversityFollow
Brian Steels
Dorothy Goulding

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Psychiatry, Psychology and Law

First Page

1

Last Page

477

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Comments

Beven, J. P., Hall, G., Froyland, I., Steels, B., & Goulding, D. (2005). Restoration or renovation? Evaluating restorative justice outcomes. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 12(1), 194-206. https://doi.org/10.1375/pplt.2005.12.1.194

Abstract

Critics of restorative justice claim that its popularity is based on 'humanistic sentiment' and suggest that the process is incapable of achieving its aim of restoring victims and offenders. The current study sought to establish if restorative justice is capable of restoring victims and offenders in a meaningful manner, or if the process simply results in a superficial renovation of the impact of crime. Seventy-two victims and offenders participated in a community group conference model of restorative justice and were compared on outcome variables with a control group of victims and offenders who underwent a conventional court process. Results demonstrate that the process is capable of impacting upon variables associated with the criminal act. Furthenmore, it is argued that a reduction in offending behaviour and victimisation impact are realistic outcomes of the restorative justice processes. Finally, regression analysis indicated that victims were satisfied with the restorative justice process as a resutt oftheir greater participation rather than their satisfaction with reparation or restitution.

DOI

10.1375/pplt.2005.12.1.194

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