The Role of Justice Perceptions in Influencing Victim-Offender Conference Participation

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Interpersonal Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Victim-offender conferences are sites where victims and offenders interact with each other to manage the interpersonal conflict between them created by an offense. Although advocates of these conferences argue that such meetings lead to constructive outcomes, not everyone wishes to participate in them. The purpose of this study was to examine how perceptions of the effectiveness of restorative and traditional justice practices in accomplishing justice goals influence willingness to participate in a victim-offender conference and desire for a case to be managed by the courts. Study results indicated that participants perceived traditional and restorative justice practices at being effective at accomplishing different goals and that such perceptions influenced how participants want cases to be managed to varying extents. The findings hold implications for researchers and practitioners of restorative justice.

Author

• Gregory D. Paul, Kansas State University