Restorative Justice Approach and the Labeling Theory and Reintegrative Shaming
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper examining the relationship between restorative justice programs and crime reduction. In your opinion, is it better to assist the justice-involved reintegrate into society toward becoming productive members or stigmatize them as "criminals" who cannot be changed or be rehabilitated? In your paper, be sure to address the following:
1. A brief summary of the restorative justice approach to include the relationship between the labeling theory and reintegrative shaming.
2. An overview of the restoration process and the desired outcomes of this strategy.
3. A comparison and contrast of ways restorative justice is used in the criminal justice system, schools, and the community.
4. An explanation for why restorative justice programs should be used or not with specific examples that support your findings.
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.
The Labeling Theory and Reintegrative Shaming Evaluation
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The Labeling Theory and Reintegrative Shaming Evaluation
There are many forms of justice approaches that nations can use to bring justice to the victims. Each of the justice approaches has its advantages and disadvantages. A restorative justice approach is one of the common approaches used to solve minor criminal offenses. Therefore, this paper will analyze the relationship between restorative justice and crime reduction.
The restorative justice approach focuses on cooperation between the offender and the victim. The two parties negotiate and reach an agreement on how compensation can be offered. The offender offers an apology and compensates for the damage caused. A transformation process is then incurred to prevent the criminal from committing other crimes in the future. Reintegrative shaming and the labeling theory can be used in the restorative approach to justice. Reintegrative shaming relates to the restorative process because it points out that the offender and the victim can only heal when involved. The restorative process focuses on repair and transformation where the victim is compensated for the harm caused while the offender is advised against committing a crime in the future (Maglione, 2017). The labeling theory relates to the restorative justice approach because it encourages offenders to face their wrongdoings and be shamed before being reintegrated back to society. In the restorative justice approach, the offender has to make amends and compensate for the harm caused.
The restoration process involves a negotiation between the offender and the victim. The offender is made to apologize for the criminal activity committed. The victim is allowed to request the type of compensation they would want from the criminal. In most instances, these cases are solved using money. The offender is required to pay an amount equal to the harm or damage to the other party. The restorative process considers criminal activity as wrongdoing that only affects the victim or their community. Therefore, the victim has the sole mandate of forgiving or punishing the offender. The process focuses more on cooperation between the two parties. However, if one of the parties is not cooperative, other forms of ensuring justice can be used. The process is hence dependent on the cooperation of the parties involved. If the parties do not reach an agreement, the victim can choose to seek another form of justice (Maglione, 2017). This is a standard process for minor offenses such as petty theft and vandalism. However, the vict...