Background
Different responses to crime exist. Many people are familiar with the criminal justice system in which an offender is brought to trial and punished for the wrongdoing. The crime is solved between the offender and the state. Meaning that there is little to no room for the victim or the community in the process. Since crime is happening in broader society also impacting the public, it is important to also consider this party when responding to crimes and when dealing with offenders. In restorative justice this party is also taken into account. Restorative justice aims to restore the harm that has been done, while taking into account the needs of the victim and holding the offender, but also the community accountable.
An example of a restorative justice program is mediation. Although this practice already exist for a longer period of time and is also applied within the criminal justice system, until now little research is done on the public. Especially research on public involvement is missing.
Research questions
Different research questions are possible in this research:
1. What are the public needs after an offense and what can the role of mediation be to fulfil these needs?
2. How can the public be involved in the criminal justice process?
3. In what kind of mediation would the public want to be involved?
4. In what kind of criminal cases does the public want to be involved?
5. Can be mediation be used in reintegrating an offender back into a community?
Type of research
Experimental research
Key words
Restorative justice, mediation, public opinion, crime and punishment
Information
Please contact Steven Watson (s.j.watson@utwente.nl) when you are interested in this assignment.
Start
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Literature
van Stokkom, B. A. M. (2005). Opinieparadoxen. Steun voor herstelgerichte sancties in een punitief klimaat.
Moss, S. A., Lee, E., Berman, A., & Rung, D. (2019). When do people value rehabilitation and restorative justice over the punishment of offenders?. Victims & Offenders, 14(1), 32-51.
Ten Boom, A., & Kuijpers, K. F. (2012). Victims’ needs as basic human needs1. International review of victimology, 18(2), 155-179.