Restorative Justice: Victim-Offender Meetings Promote Healing and Rehabilitation

Benefits of Offender-Victim Meeting

I feel that a meeting between the offender and the victim could lead to beneficial changes for both parties. Many people who have experienced physical or psychological trauma may develop post-traumatic stress disorder years later. The perpetrator, in turn, may struggle with rehabilitation. As a result, they may find it difficult to return to a regular life following punishment, raising the likelihood of recidivism.

A meeting between the victim and the criminal might help bring about closure. The victim will be free to express any issues they have against the offender. This will assist in preventing extended self-digging and may aid in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The culprit, in turn, will be able to accept responsibility and recognize what they have done. This can help them get back on track and avoid a relapse.

Benefits of Restorative Justice Over Retributive Justice

This approach falls under the category of restorative justice. Restorative justice recognizes that the crime involves more than the criminal breaking the law; it also harms victims. Restorative justice, as its name suggests, holds that a proper remedy must address both the wrongdoing and the harm inflicted.

Restorative justice emphasizes processes of resocialization, acknowledging responsibility, facilitating rehabilitation, and preventing further victimization for affected individuals (Siegel 2019). This differs from retributive justice, which attempts to punish criminals. This type of justice also stresses out-of-court conflict resolution. Offenses are considered as disagreements that may be resolved by the parties and their social setting rather than as issues requiring judicial intervention.

Díaz Gude and Navarro Papic (2020) suggest incorporating restorative justice principles into formal criminal justice institutions. All interventions aim to restore peace between the victim and the perpetrator, as well as in society at large. For example, after a face-to-face discussion, the two parties may reach an agreement in which the offender is not penalized. As a result, victim-offender meetings are an effective strategy for averting a variety of problems.

Reference

Díaz Gude, A., & Navarro Papic, I. (2020). Restorative justice and legal culture. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 20(1), 57-75.

Siegel, L. J. (2019). Criminology: Theories, patterns, and typologies. (13th ed.). Cengage Learning.