Restorative Justice: Three Principles Of Effective Interventions

Principles of Effective Intervention

There are three primary principles of effective intervention. First, interventions should target the criminogenic risk factors of the offender (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Logically, if an intervention is to impact recidivism it needs to address the factors that contributed to the criminality. For example, if an offender is someone who has antisocial associates. Then, one goal would be for them to associate with more prosocial, law-abiding people who can help them stay on track with. Therefore, the intervention targets dynamic rather than static, unchangeable factors (Cullen & Jonson, 2017).

Second, interventions should be behavioral oriented (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Thus, effective interventions

First, crime is harmful to all who are involved (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Second, the aim of corrections ought to be to reverse the harm that has been done (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Third, the abovementioned goal is accomplished by restoring all involved to their original state (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). These principles all coalesce to form what we know to be restorative justice.

Next, we will discuss these principles. Logically, crime does harm to everyone that is involved. First, the victim involved is harmed either physically, emotionally, or monetarily. Second, perpetrator or offender is harmed when they are removed from society and their family. Hence, their societal and familial bonds are severed. Lastly, society is harmed because the offender enters the criminal justice system. Then, they likely will end up in prison/jail which will result in them having to be supported by tax payer’s

The answer is complex and that it depends. There are numerous factors that must come together for restorative justice to truly be rehabilitative. First, the victimizer must actually be genuinely remorseful for their crime and mean their apology (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Second, the victim must truly forgive their victimizer in the process (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Lastly, the offender must be successfully returned to the community (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Hence, it requires numerous factors to be present to be truly “rehabilitative”.

In conclusion, “Is restorative justice effective?” The answer again, is multifaceted and complex. The implementation of restorative justice on a large-scale is not likely (Cullen & Jonson, 2017). Additionally, restorative justice does not address those offenders who are sent to prison. Lastly, the fact that it places faith in non-experts and community corrections impedes is effectiveness in reducing recidivism. Therefore, on the whole, evidence suggests that it is not effective. However, there is a silver lining. Restorative justice has illuminated the problem of a purely “punitive” system of corrections.

Early