Honors College Theses

Publication Date

4-29-2021

Major

Criminal Justice and Criminology (B.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Faculty Mentor

Laurie Gould

Abstract

Restorative justice is a growing school of penal thought which places emphasis on restoration and healing rather than punitive solutions. The purpose of this study is to assess whether prior experience with the criminal justice system, either as a victim, as an offender, or as an employee, affects perceptions of the foundations of restorative justice. These foundations include ideas such as punishment, retribution, and victim involvement. Additionally, this study examines how these perspectives influence the respondents’ perception of effectiveness or “justness” of the criminal justice system. Findings reveal that offenders have more negative views of punishment as a method of always dealing with crime compared to their non-offender counterparts, while the opposite is true for those employed in the criminal justice system. Additionally, findings reveal that victims tend to be less satisfied with the criminal justice system as community members, as opposed to their non-victim counterparts, while the opposite is true for those employed in the criminal justice system.

Download

Included in

Criminology Commons

Share

COinS