Measuring Public Support for Restitution Reform

• In Event: Monetary Sanctions, Child Support, Restitution, and Beyond

Abstract

While there has been significant progress in abolishing fines and fees in both the criminal and juvenile legal systems, restitution reform has been a more difficult and complicated endeavor. Helping victims to recover fiscal losses, as well as to pay for services they may need as a result of a crime (e.g., mental health counseling, medical treatment), is important. However, there is a tension between what people can pay in restitution costs (along with other fines and fees assessed) and victims’ financial needs. To inform this particular area of monetary sanction reform, this presentation highlights findings from a public opinion survey measuring peoples’ attitudes towards restitution and views of alternatives to financial restitution. It specifically explores under what conditions would people support various alternatives to financial restitution. It marks a departure from previous surveys on restitution in that it is grounded in the empirical experiences of victims and their desires for restitution (Paik, Romanello, and Thompson 2023).

Author

• Leslie Paik, Arizona State University