The Importance of Others: How Does Gender Affect the Interpersonal Dynamics of Restorative Justice?

• In Event: Empirical Testing of Restorative Justice Theory

Abstract

Although reintegrative shaming theory suggests that gender affects the experience of shaming via differences in social embeddedness, it is unclear how the relationship among specific others can influence restorative justice outcomes. Restorative justice reflects the meeting between offenders, victims, and the community in an attempt to repair the harm after a crime has occurred. Due to differences in socialization, females are expected to be more highly dependent upon others than males, thereby being more susceptible to reintegrative rather than disintegrative shaming. Yet, it is unclear how gender mediates or moderates the effect of the presence of others on the experience of shaming. Data from the Reintegrative Shaming Experiments reveal that the quality of the relationship offenders have with others produces gendered effects on shaming. Males are more likely than female offenders to experience more reintegrative and less disintegrative shaming when they depend on and respect their supporters.

Authors

• Heather L. Scheuerman, James Madison University

• Shelley Keith, Mississippi State University