During our aforementioned meeting with Lou Everatt, she recommended that we take a look into the concept of restorative justice, where offenders make direct reparations for the crimes they have committed, e.g. through meeting and directly apologising to victims/return stolen money/carrying out relevant community service. The following video examples show instances where the restorative justice system has been a success.
"The Woolf Within" - Peter Woolf was a prolific offender, ensconced in a world of violence and depravity, who, by his own reckoning committed about 20,000 crimes. Then he burgled a house, fought with his victim and ended up in prison yet again. This time though it was different. Peter met with his victim, Will, in a restorative justice session that took place in the prison. The meeting changed both their lives for ever.
- 85% of victims participating in restorative justice felt it was a positive experience.
- 78% would recommend it to others
- Two thirds of those leaving prison are reconvicted within 2 years
- Restorative justice is proven to reduce re-offending by up to half
Thames Valley has piloted a direct reparation system (the evaluation of which can be found here), and I would be interested in possibly incorporating elements of this pioneering system into my design.
Further research:
Sociologist Stanley Cohen's Moral Panic and Folk Devils theory
Sociologist Howard Becker's Labelling theory
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