Theory-Driven Evaluation of Restorative Justice Practice: Towards a Holistic Approach

• In Event: Testing Key Theories and Concepts: New Strategies and Long-Standing Challenges

Abstract

Restorative justice (RJ) is inherently value-laden, and as such, theory - both normative and explanatory - has played an invaluable role in guiding the development of RJ practices. Yet the "success" of RJ programming has typically been measured only in the outcomes produced for participants, and with the same indicators used to evaluate of state-based justice practices. There thus exists a major shortage within the field of RJ evaluation research of studies that adequately test, on a process level, those theories that have informed RJ practice. To address this gap in the literature, this paper follows the development and piloting of an instrument, for use in the evaluation of RJ programming, that measures a holistic range of theoretical constructs important to RJ practice. A comprehensive literature review on key theories that have guided RJ practice informed the development of the instrument. Pre-testing of the instrument was completed via distribution to 40 participants, who answered each section with reference to specific scenarios likely to correspond to the construct being measured. A factor analysis on this data confirmed the instrument’s ability to measure a range of relevant theoretical constructs. Implications are discussed, and recommendations for practice and evaluation are made.

Author

• Tania Arvanitidis, Simon Fraser University