Running head: RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
1
The Effect of Restorative Justice, Race, Gang Involvement, and Age on Perceptions of
Rehabilitation
By: Sydney Denstorff, Advisor – Dr. Sean Shiverick
Abstract
Restorative justice requires offenders to look beyond the crime they committed and observe how
their actions negatively impacted others, with the goal of making the victim whole again (Van
Ness, & Strong, 2006). This research investigated whether an intervention program, race, gang
involvement, and age influenced perceptions of rehabilitation. Participants (N = 180) read
scenarios of offenders charged with either theft or burglary and identified as either African
American or Caucasian. The scenarios differed in intervention program and the offender’s gang
status and age. After reading each scenario, participants rated characteristics of the offender. As
predicted, participants perceived offenders in the restorative justice program as more capable of
rehabilitation than offenders in the retributive justice program. For offenders in the restorative
justice program, participants perceived Caucasian offenders as having better character than
African American offenders and perceived Caucasian, adult offenders as being more employable
than African American, adult offenders.
The Effect of Restorative Justice, Race, and Gang Involvement on Perceptions of
Rehabilitation
There are two very different approaches to justice within the criminal justice system:
retributive justice and restorative justice. The traditional, retributive justice approach has
commonly been used to show that the criminal justice system is tough on crime because it
focuses mainly on incarceration (Wenzel, Okimoto, Feather, & Platow, 2007). One of the
biggest problems with incarceration is that it provides little, if any, opportunity for rehabilitation
because prisons are not designed to provide inmates with the treatment programs that are
necessary to promote rehabilitation. Another problem with the retributive approach is that
certain offenders may receive preferential treatment with sentencing depending on characteristics
they possess (Wenzel, et al., 2007). On the other hand, restorative justice is a fairly recent
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
2
phenomenon for both criminal justice and psychology that involves viewing crime as more than
simply breaking the law and supports the idea that crime causes harm to the victim, the offender,
relationships between people, and the community as a whole (Van Ness, & Strong, 2006). While
retributive and restorative justice are both approaches used by those working in the criminal
justice system to deal with offenders, retributive justice aims to punish an offender for their
crime through incarceration, whereas restorative justice focuses on mediation, understanding,
and closure between the offender and the victim. In other words, retributive justice is derived
from the punitive model, meaning that offenders are simply getting what they deserve, while
restorative justice is derived from the rehabilitation model that focuses on actually treating or
fixing the problem (Wenzel, et al., 2007).
The basic idea behind restorative justice is to “make the victim whole” again (Van Ness,
& Strong, 2006). When victims are given the chance to confront their offenders, they may
experience closure while the offenders may experience remorse (Gal, & Moyal, 2011).
Restorative justice also has the potential to give an offender the opportunity to apologize to the
victim and see the effects of the crime they committed. Being able to see things from the
victim’s point of view usually causes an offender to feel some sense of remorse, which evidently
assists them in the rehabilitation process (Van Ness, & Strong, 2006).
Restorative justice can take many forms, but some of the most common types are victimoffender mediation, direct reparation, and indirect reparation (Tameside, 2013). Victim-offender
mediation involves the victim actually meeting up with the offender in order to explain how the
crime impacted their life and hopefully reduce their fears of the crime occurring again in the
future. The offender can also benefit from this form of restorative justice because they are given
the option to explain their side of the story and apologize for what they did (Tameside, 2013).
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
3
Direct reparation is when an offender writes a letter of apology to the victim or carries out some
task at the request of the victim in order to benefit that victim or the community. Indirect
reparation is when the offender performs a task that benefits the community because the victim
does not want direct reparation from the offender (Tameside, 2013). Typically, victim-offender
mediation is the most successful form of restorative justice for both the victim and the offender
because it allows both parties to meet in person and explain their side of the story or apologize
for the crime.
The effect of restorative justice on potential for rehabilitation has been an area of recent
attention to many in the fields of both psychology and criminal justice. There has been much
controversy over whether restorative justice provides more opportunity for offender
rehabilitation than retributive justice. Research has shown that when both of the involved parties
(e.g., the offender and the victim) have shared values, they are more likely to benefit from
restorative justice (Wenzel, et al., 2007). Both parties benefit because when these shared values
are violated through an act of crime, the victim is more likely to desire reaffirming those values
(Wenzel, Okimoto, Feather, & Platow, 2009). If the involved parties do not have shared values,
however, prejudice and discrimination may play a role in restorative justice not being as
effective as it could be.
Due to the disproportionate arrest and prosecution rates for African American offenders,
research has shown that there are higher rates of incarceration for African American offenders
than for Caucasian offenders (Steffensmeier, Ulmer, & Kramer, 1998). In fact, Wisconsin has
the highest incarceration rate for African American males in the country (Corley, 2013). The
degree to which race plays a role in the disproportionate sentence an offender is given is an area
of current interest for the criminal justice field (Stockdale, Olver, & Wong, 2010). There is great
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
4
variety in potential sentences for an offender due to the discretion of judges within the criminal
justice system. If judges perceive a direct link between race and crime and view African
American offenders more negatively than Caucasian offenders, they may view Caucasian
offenders as more likely to be rehabilitated than African American offenders (Bodenhausen, &
Wyer, 1985). This is an obvious problem in the criminal justice system because judges are
supposed to be objective. As a result of these beliefs, African American offenders may be
sentenced to incarceration more frequently than Caucasian offenders. Perceptions of the
effectiveness of restorative justice programs may also be influenced by the race of the offender
(Steffensmeier, et al., 1998).
Research has long since made a connection between race and gang membership, but the
true nature of that relationship remains unclear. Research has indicated that this connection
between race and gang membership may not be as clear-cut as some would like to think, but that
the connection might be the result of other factors, such as socioeconomic status (Freng, &
Esbensen, 2007). In other words, the criminal justice system may be set up, intentionally or
unintentionally, so that African Americans are more likely to be targeted and charged for
activities related to gang involvement; therefore, statistics would show that African Americans
are more likely to be involved in gang activity when there really is no difference. Although there
has been little research on the interaction between gang involvement and restorative justice, there
are potential benefits to incorporating it into the rehabilitation process such as the offender
learning about how their gang involvement negatively harms themselves and others. Restorative
justice may be perceived as more or less effective depending on whether the offender is or is not
involved in a gang (Freng, & Esbensen, 2007).
Research has shown that judges tend to sentence younger offenders (aged 21-29) more
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
5
leniently than adult offenders because they are perceived as impressionable and, therefore, more
capable of rehabilitation (Steffensmeier, et al., 1998). Judges tend to give juvenile offenders the
benefit of the doubt and they often feel somewhat inclined to give them a second chance because
these offenders are so young and viewed as capable of turning their life around for the better
(Steffensmeier, et al., 1998). On the other hand, adult offenders are often viewed as less capable
of rehabilitation because they are expected to be more mature and, for that reason, are held to a
higher standard than juvenile offenders (Steffensmeier, et al., 1998). Restorative justice may be
perceived as more or less effective depending on whether the offender is a juvenile or an adult at
the time of the offense.
The goal of the current studies is to examine the relationship between restorative justice,
race, gang involvement, and age on perceptions of rehabilitation. In the current study,
participants will read hypothetical scenarios about a teenager who is caught shoplifting and is
charged with a misdemeanor theft or burglary. The scenarios differ between the offender’s race
and age, the intervention program imposed, and whether or not the offender was portrayed as
involved a gang. After reading each scenario, participants will rate characteristics of the
offender and rate perceptions of rehabilitation. It is expected that restorative justice will be
perceived as a more effective means of rehabilitation than retributive justice and that Caucasian
offenders will be perceived as more capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders.
It is also expected that restorative justice will be perceived as more effective for Caucasian
offenders than for African American offenders and that an interaction of restorative justice by
race will vary according to gang involvement. Lastly, it is expected that restorative justice will
be perceived as more effective for juvenile offenders than for adult offenders.
Experiment 1
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
6
Method
Participants
In the first study, eighty four college students were recruited from the pool of students
enrolled in introductory psychology courses. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 27 (M =
18.9 years, SD = 1.34; 49 males, 35 females) and reflected the demographics of the community.
Students received course credit for participating in the study.
Design
This study had a 2 x 2 x 2 mixed factorial design. The independent variables were
intervention program (restorative justice, retributive justice), race (African American,
Caucasian), and gang involvement (in a gang, not in a gang). Intervention program and gang
involvement were within-subjects variables, while race was a between-subjects variable. The
main dependent variables were trust, responsibility, honesty, work ethic, competency, and
capability of rehabilitation and future employment.
Materials
The materials included eight fictional scenarios that described male juveniles who had
just started their freshman year in high school. Each juvenile was charged with a misdemeanor
offense and was described as being placed in either a retributive justice program (paying a $500
fine) or in a restorative justice program (writing an apology letter, attending a retail theft panel,
serving on Youth Court jury) (see Appendix I). The offenders in the scenarios were described as
being either African American or Caucasian and also as being either involved with a gang or not
being involved with a gang. In one condition, the intervention program and gang involvement
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
7
varied, but the offender’s race being African American remained consistent. In the other
condition, the intervention program and gang involvement varied, but the offender’s race being
Caucasian remained consistent.
A questionnaire (see Appendix I) included demographic information as well as several
questions about the participants’ knowledge of and experience with the criminal justice system.
For each scenario, the questionnaire included eight questions that asked participants to rate
characteristics of the offender including: trustworthiness, responsibility, honesty, work ethic,
competency, and capability of future employment and rehabilitation. Participants rated the
offenders in each scenario by using a 6-point rating scale (1=not at all, 6=very much).
Procedure
A female experimenter conducted sessions in groups of 10-20 students. The researcher
first described the study to participants, obtained consent, and randomly assigned participants to
one of two conditions. The participants were instructed to complete the questionnaire
individually without talking, to use a pencil, and to raise their hand if they had any questions.
Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes. Once the participants appeared to have finished
answering the questionnaire, they were asked if everyone was finished. At this point, the
researcher collected the questionnaires. When all questionnaires were collected, the participants
were given a written debriefing form. The researcher read the debriefing form aloud, answered
any questions, and thanked participants for their time.
Results and Discussion
It was hypothesized that restorative justice would be perceived as a more effective means
of rehabilitation than retributive justice, that Caucasian offenders would be perceived as more
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
8
capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders, and that offenders involved in a gang
would be perceived as less capable of rehabilitation than offenders not involved in a gang. In
addition, it was predicted that restorative justice would be perceived as more effective for
Caucasian offenders than for African American offenders and that African American and
Caucasian offenders would be perceived as more capable of rehabilitation if they were not
involved in a gang. It was also predicted that restorative justice would be perceived as more
effective for offenders not involved in a gang than for offenders who were involved in a gang.
Lastly, it was hypothesized that there would be an interaction of restorative justice by race and
gang involvement. In order to test these hypotheses, a 2 (Intervention Program) x 2 (Race) x 2
(Gang Involvement) factorial ANOVA with repeated measures was conducted.
The ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of intervention program on perceptions of
rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 26.41, p < .001. Participants perceived offenders in the restorative
justice program (M = 3.62, SE = 0.09) as more capable of rehabilitation than offenders in the
retributive justice program (M = 3.26, SE = 0.10). However, there was no significant main effect
of race on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 0.04, p = .85. Participants rated Caucasian
offenders (M = 3.45, SE = 0.13) as being no more capable of rehabilitation than African
American offenders (M = 3.42, SE = 0.13). There was also no significant main effect of gang
involvement on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 0.27, p = .61. Participants rated
offenders not involved in a gang (M = 3.45, SE = 0.09) as being no more capable of
rehabilitation than offenders involved in a gang (M = 3.43, SE = 0.09).
The ANOVA revealed a marginally significant interaction of race by gang involvement
on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 2.81, p = .10. The interaction was examined using
related samples t-tests on the effect of gang involvement for African Americans and Caucasians
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
9
separately. African American offenders not involved in a gang (M = 3.45, SE = 0.13) were
perceived as no more capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders who were
involved in a gang (M = 3.40, SE = 0.13), t(41) = -0.92, p = .36. In addition, Caucasian
offenders involved in a gang (M = 3.5, SE = 0.13) were perceived as no more capable of
rehabilitation than Caucasian offenders who were not involved in a gang (M = 3.41, SE = 0.13),
t(41) = 1.41, p = .17. (See Figure 1). There was no interaction of intervention program by race
on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 0.01, p = .91. (See Table 1). There was also no
interaction of intervention program by gang involvement on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1,
82) = 0.27, p = .61. The ANOVA also showed no interaction of restorative justice by race and
gang involvement on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 82) = 2.42, p = .12.
As predicted, the results showed that participants perceived offenders in the restorative
justice program as more capable of rehabilitation than the offenders in the retributive justice
program. Counter to predictions, Caucasian offenders were not perceived as more capable of
rehabilitation than African American offenders; Caucasian and African American offenders were
perceived as equally capable of rehabilitation. The results did not support the hypothesis that
participants would perceive offenders not involved in a gang as more capable of rehabilitation
than offenders who were involved in a gang; offenders involved in a gang were perceived just as
capable of rehabilitation as offenders not involved in a gang.
The results showed a trend demonstrating that the participants perceived African
American and Caucasian offenders as more capable of rehabilitation if they were not involved in
a gang. When further analyzed, however, both African American and Caucasian offenders not
involved in a gang were perceived as no more capable of rehabilitation than African American
and Caucasian offenders who were involved in a gang. The hypothesis that participants would
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
10
perceive restorative justice as a more effective means of rehabilitation for Caucasian offenders
than for African American offenders was not supported. Counter to predictions, restorative
justice was not perceived as more effective for offenders not involved in a gang than for
offenders who were involved in a gang. Furthermore, the results did not support the hypothesis
for a relationship of restorative justice by race and gang involvement.
Experiment 2
Method
Participants
In the second study, ninety six college students were recruited from the pool of students
enrolled in introductory psychology courses. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 29 (M =
19.5 years, SD = 1.78; 66 males, 30 females) and reflected the demographics of the community.
Student received course credit for participating in the study.
Design
This study had a 2 x 2 x 2 mixed factorial design. The independent variables were
intervention program (restorative justice, retributive justice), race (African American,
Caucasian), and age (juvenile, adult). Intervention program and race were within-subjects
variables, while age was a between-subjects variable. The main dependent variables were trust,
responsibility, honesty, work ethic, capability of rehabilitation and future employment, and if the
punishment was appropriate.
Materials
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
11
The materials included eight fictional scenarios that described male teenagers who had
just moved to a new school, either as a freshman or a senior. Each student was charged with
burglary and was described as being placed in either a retributive justice program (paying a $250
fine, 6 months of probation) or in a restorative justice program (victim-offender mediation, 50
hours of community service) (see Appendix II). The offenders in the scenarios were described as
being either African American or Caucasian and also as being either a 15-year-old juvenile or an
18-year-old adult. In one condition, the intervention program and race varied, but the offender’s
age (being a juvenile) remained consistent. In the other condition, the intervention program and
race varied, but the offender’s age (being an adult) remained consistent.
A questionnaire (see Appendix II) included demographic information as well as several
questions about the participants’ knowledge of and experience with the criminal justice system.
For each scenario, the questionnaire included eight questions that asked participants to rate
characteristics of the offender including: trustworthiness, responsibility, honesty, work ethic,
capability of future employment and rehabilitation, and whether the participant felt the
punishment was appropriate for the offender. Participants rated the offenders in each scenario by
using a 6-point rating scale (1=not at all, 6=very much).
Procedure
A female experimenter conducted sessions in groups of 10-20 students. The researcher
first described the study to participants, obtained consent, and randomly assigned participants to
one of two conditions. The participants were instructed to complete the questionnaire
individually without talking, to use a pencil, and to raise their hand if they had any questions.
Each session lasted approximately 30 minutes. Once the participants appeared to have finished
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
12
answering the questionnaire, they were asked if everyone was finished. At this point, the
researcher collected the questionnaires. When all questionnaires were collected, the participants
were given a written debriefing form. The researcher read the debriefing form aloud, answered
any questions, and thanked participants for their time.
Results and Discussion
It was hypothesized that restorative justice would be perceived as a more effective means
of rehabilitation than retributive justice, that Caucasian offenders would be perceived as more
capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders, and that juvenile offenders would be
perceived as more capable or rehabilitation than adult offenders. In addition, it was predicted
that restorative justice would be perceived as more effective for Caucasian offenders than for
African American offenders and that Caucasian juvenile offenders would be perceived as more
rehabilitated than African American juvenile offenders. It was also predicted that restorative
justice would be perceived as more effective for juvenile offenders than for adult offenders. In
order to test these hypotheses, a 2 (Intervention Program) x 2 (Race) x 2 (Age) factorial ANOVA
with repeated measures was conducted.
The ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of intervention program on perceptions of
rehabilitation, F(1, 94) = 17.74, p < .001. Participants perceived offenders in the restorative
justice program (M = 4.23, SE = 0.13) as more capable of rehabilitation than offenders in the
retributive justice program (M = 3.85, SE = 0.13). A significant main effect for race was also
found on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 94) = 22.63, p < .001 with participants perceiving
Caucasian offenders (M = 4.16, SE = 0.12) as more capable of rehabilitation than African
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
13
American offenders (M = 3.91, SE = 0.13). The ANOVA did not reveal a significant main effect
of age on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 94) = 2.37, p = .13.
Although the ANOVA revealed no significant interaction between intervention program
and race on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 94) = 0.76, p = .39, a significant interaction was
found between race and age on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1, 94) = 5.33, p = .02.
Participants perceived adult, Caucasian offenders (M = 4.04, SE = 0.17) as more capable of
rehabilitation than adult, African American offenders (M = 3.66, SE = 0.18), but there was no
significant difference between Caucasian and African American juvenile offenders. There was
also no interaction between intervention program and age on perceptions of rehabilitation, F(1,
94) = 0.04, p = .84.
Overall perceptions of rehabilitation were divided into categories so that perceptions of
the offender’s character and perceptions of the offender’s future employability could be further
analyzed. It was found that participants judged the Caucasian offenders in the restorative justice
program (M = 2.85, SE = 0.12) as having better character than the African American offenders in
the restorative justice program (M = 2.78, SE = 0.12). (See Figure 2). It was also found that
participants judged the Caucasian adult offenders (M = 4.04, SE = 0.17) as having a better
chance of being employed than the African American adult offenders (M = 3.66, SE = 0.18).
(See Figure 3).
As predicted, the results showed that participants perceived offenders in the restorative
justice program as more capable of rehabilitation than the offenders in the retributive justice
program. Unlike experiment 1, the results supported the hypothesis that participants would
perceive Caucasian offenders as more capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
14
These results may have been demonstrated only in experiment 2 because of how the scenarios
were divided up, with each participant receiving scenarios with both African American and
Caucasian offenders instead of just one or the other. The results did not, however, support the
hypothesis that participants would perceive juvenile offenders as more capable of rehabilitation
than adult offenders; juvenile offenders were perceived just as capable of rehabilitation as adult
offenders.
The results showed a relationship between age and race in perceptions of rehabilitation
with Caucasian, adult offenders being perceived as more capable of rehabilitation than African
American, adult offenders. However, no relationship was found between Caucasian and African
American juvenile offenders. The hypothesis that participants would perceive restorative justice
as a more effective means of rehabilitation for Caucasian offenders than for African American
offenders was not supported. Counter to predictions, restorative justice was not perceived as
more effective for juvenile offenders than for adult offenders.
General Discussion
The main finding is that restorative justice was perceived as a more effective means of
rehabilitation than retributive justice. This finding is consistent with past research that has
examined how restorative justice has the potential to be more rehabilitative than retributive
justice because it focuses on restoring justice between every affected party (Wenzel, et al., 2007).
This finding is also consistent with past research that has explored how restorative justice
provides the opportunity for an offender to see the effects of the crime they committed and feel
remorse for what they did which, in effect, assists them in the rehabilitation process (Van Ness,
& Strong, 2006). Another main finding is that, in experiment 2, Caucasian offenders were
perceived as more capable of rehabilitation than African American offenders. This finding is
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
15
consistent with past research that has explored how African American offenders are
disproportionately incarcerated when comparing their incarceration rates with their general
population in the United States (Steffensmeier, et al., 1998).
A limitation of the study is that the descriptions of the offenders were all very similar and
had only minor changes from scenario to scenario. Participants could have easily overlooked
some of the small differences between the different scenarios (including race, age, and/or gang
involvement) if they were not paying close attention. If participants did this, it would not allow
for some of the crucial factors of the study to be taken into consideration when rating
characteristics of each offender. To highlight the differences between each offender’s race, age,
and gang involvement, there could have been more repetition with this information throughout
each scenario. A possible limitation with experiment 1 is that the population used for this
research was not prejudice, or did not want to appear prejudice, towards people of different races
and gang affiliation. Another possible limitation of the study is that it included hypothetical
scenarios that only assessed participants’ perceptions and expectations for the success of
restorative justice for fictional characters rather than real offenders.
Future work can address perceptions of the effectiveness of different types of restorative
justice programs by comparing approaches such as serving on a Youth Court jury, victimoffender mediation, writing an apology letter to the victim(s), and performing community
service. Serving on a Youth Court jury would require an offender to sentence other potential
offenders who are around their age. Victim-offender mediation involves offenders meeting with
the victim(s) of the crime they committed to apologize and feel remorse for what they did.
Future research could explore whether or not perceptions in the effectiveness of rehabilitation
vary according to the offender’s sex. Future research could also examine perceptions of
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
16
rehabilitation using offender races other than African American and Caucasian to see if there if a
significant effect. This study could also be conducted in the Southern region of the United States
to see if there is a significant effect of race in that region.
These studies indicated that restorative justice is perceived as a more effective means of
rehabilitation than the traditional retributive justice approach. This finding coincides with the
research that has been conducted on restorative justice thus far. These studies also indicate that
people generally perceive restorative justice to be more rehabilitative than retributive justice for
all offenders, but some variation may exist in regards to the offender’s race, with Caucasian
offenders being perceived as more likely to benefit from restorative justice than African
American offenders. Over time, the criminal justice system might slowly switch from a
retributive justice approach to a restorative justice approach when punishing offenders for crimes
they have committed in order to promote rehabilitation. As more research is conducted, victims,
offenders, those working in the criminal justice system, and the community as a whole, will
hopefully realize just how effective and life-changing restorative justice can be.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
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References
Bodenhausen, G. V., & Wyer, R. S., Jr. (1985). Effects of Stereotypes on Decision Making and
Information-Processing Strategies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
48(2), 267-282.
Corley, C. (2013). Wisconsin Prisons Incarcerate Most Black Men In U.S. Code Switch:
Frontiers of Race, Culture and Ethnicity. Retrieved from
http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/10/03/228733846/wisconsin-prisonsincarcerate-most-black-men-in-u-s
Freng, A., & Esbensen, F.-A. (2007). Race and Gang Affiliation: An Examination of Multiple
Marginality. Justice Quarterly, 24(4), 600-628. doi: 10.1080/07418820701717136
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
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Gal, T., & Moyal, S. (2011). Juvenile Victims in Restorative Justice: Findings from the
Reintegrative Shaming Experiments. British Journal of Criminology, 51, 1014-1034.
doi: 10.1093/bjc/azr052
Steffensmeier, D., Ulmer, J., & Kramer, J. (1998). The Interaction of Race, Gender, and Age in
Criminal Sentencing: The Punishment Cost of Being Young, Black, and Male.
Criminology, 36(4), 763-790.
Stockdale, K. C., Olver, M. E., & Wong, S. C. P. (2010). The Psychopath Checklist: Youth
Version and Adolescent and Adult Recidivism: Considerations With Respect to
Gender, Ethnicity, and Age. American Psychological Association, 22(4), 768-781.
doi: 10.1037/a0020044
Tameside Youth Offending Program. (2013). Tameside Metropolitan Borough. Retrieved from
http://www.tameside.gov.uk/
Van Ness, D. W., & Strong, K. H. (2006). Restoring Justice: An Introduction to Restorative
Justice. Anderson Publishing Company, 3. Retrieved from
http://www.pfi.org/cjr/restorative-justice/
Wenzel, M., Okimoto, T. G., Feather, N. T., & Platow, M. J. (2009). Justice through consensus:
Shared identity and the preference for a restorative notion of justice. European Journal
of Social Psychology, 40, 909-930. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.657
Wenzel, M., Okimoto, T. G., Feather, N. T., & Platow, M. J. (2007). Retributive and
Restorative Justice. Law and Human Behavior, 32, 375-389. doi: 10.1007/s10979007-9116-6
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
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Table 1
Interaction of Intervention Program by Race on Perceptions of Rehabilitation.
Intervention Program
Restorative Justice
Retributive Justice
M
SE
M
SE
African American
3.60
.13
3.24
.14
Caucasian
3.63
.13
3.28
.14
Race
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
20
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
21
3.6
Rehabilitation
3.55
3.5
3.45
Gang
3.4
No Gang
3.35
3.3
3.25
Caucasian
African American
Figure 1. Interaction of Race by Gang Involvement on Perceptions of Rehabilitation.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
22
3
Mean Ratings of Character
2.9
2.8
2.7
Caucasian
2.6
African American
2.5
2.4
2.3
2.2
Retributive Justice
Restorative Justice
Figure 2. Interaction of Intervention Program by Race on Perceptions of Character.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
23
Mean Ratings of Employability
4.4
4.2
4
Caucasian
3.8
African American
3.6
3.4
3.2
Juvenile
Adult
Figure 3. Interaction of Age by Race on Perceptions of Employability.
Appendix I
Terms:
Restorative Justice: an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of the victims and the
offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or
punishing the offender. Victims usually, but not always, take an active role in the process, while
offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
24
Retributive Justice: considers punishment, if proportionate, to be the best response to a crime.
When an offender breaks the law, he or she thereby forfeits or suspends his or her right to
something of equal value, and justice requires that this forfeit be enacted.
CGRJ
Fred is a Caucasian male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not know that
many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids who are members of a gang and he
wants to be accepted by them. One day, Fred and three boys from the gang were at the mall.
The other boys stole iPods from a Best Buy store and told Fred that, in order to be accepted into
their gang, he would have to steal an iPod too. Fred agreed to do this, but when he put the iPod
in his backpack without paying for it like the other boys did, he was apprehended by the store
security guard. The police were called because of the incident and Fred was charged with a
misdemeanor theft. Fred’s parents were also called, as they had to come to the police station to
pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge directed Fred to an alternative sentencing program
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
25
called Youth Court in which he would have the opportunity to be sentenced by a jury of his peers
instead of having to pay the fine for his violation. In Youth Court, the jury sentenced Fred to
write an apology letter to the store, to attend a retail theft panel, and serve on the Youth Court
jury himself for a limited term. Once Fred has completed this alternative sentence, the charge
will be taken off of his record.
Please rate Fred on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
9. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
10. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
11. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
12. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
13. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
14. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
15. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
CGRT
John is a Caucasian male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not know that
many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids who are members of a gang and he
wants to be accepted by them. One day, John and three boys from the gang were at the mall.
The other boys stole iPods from a Best Buy store and told John that, in order to be accepted into
their gang, he would have to steal an iPod too. John agreed to do this, but when he put the iPod
in his backpack without paying for it like the other boys did, he was apprehended by the store
security guard. The police were called because of the incident and John was charged with a
misdemeanor theft. His parents were also called, as they had to come to the police station to pick
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
26
him up. At his court hearing, John was told that the charge would go on his record and that he
would have to pay a $500 fine.
Please rate John on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
16. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
17. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
18. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
19. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
20. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
21. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
22. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
27
CNGRJ
Thomas is a Caucasian male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not know
that many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids and wants to be accepted by
them. One day, Thomas and three boys from that group were at the mall. The other boys stole
iPods from a Best Buy store, but when Thomas put an iPod in his backpack without paying for it
like the other boys did, he was apprehended by the store security guard. The police were called
because of the incident and Thomas was charged with a misdemeanor theft. Thomas’ parents
were also called, as they had to come to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing,
the judge directed Thomas to an alternative sentencing program called Youth Court in which he
would have the opportunity to be sentenced by a jury of his peers instead of having to pay the
fine for his violation. In Youth Court, the jury sentenced Thomas to write an apology letter to
the store, to attend a retail theft panel, and serve on the Youth Court jury himself for a limited
term. Once Thomas has completed this alternative sentence, the charge will be taken off of his
record.
Please rate Thomas on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
23. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
24. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
25. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
26. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
27. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
28. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
29. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
28
CNGRT
Mark is a Caucasian male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not know that
many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids and wants to be accepted by them.
One day, Mark and three boys from that group were at the mall. The other boys stole iPods from
a Best Buy store, but when Mark put an iPod in his backpack without paying for it like the other
boys did, he was apprehended by the store security guard. The police were called because of the
incident and Mark was charged with a misdemeanor theft. Mark’s parents were also called, as
they had to come to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, Mark was told that
the charge would go on his record and that he would have to pay a $500 fine.
Please rate Mark on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
30. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
31. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
32. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
33. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
34. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
35. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
36. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
29
AGRJ
Evan is an African American male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not
know that many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids who are members of a gang
and he wants to be accepted by them. One day, Evan and three boys from the gang were at the
mall. The other boys stole iPods from a Best Buy store and told Evan that, in order to be
accepted into their gang, he would have to steal an iPod too. Evan agreed to do this, but when he
put the iPod in his backpack without paying for it like the other boys did, he was apprehended by
the store security guard. The police were called because of the incident and Evan was charged
with a misdemeanor theft. Evan’s parents were also called, as they had to come to the police
station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge directed Evan to an alternative sentencing
program called Youth Court in which he would have the opportunity to be sentenced by a jury of
his peers instead of having to pay the fine for his violation. In Youth Court, the jury sentenced
Evan to write an apology letter to the store, to attend a retail theft panel, and serve on the Youth
Court jury himself for a limited term. Once Evan has completed this alternative sentence, the
charge will be taken off of his record.
Please rate Evan on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
9. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
10. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
11. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
12. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
13. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
14. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
15. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
30
AGRT
Christopher is an African American male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does
not know that many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids who are members of a
gang and he wants to be accepted by them. One day, Christopher and three boys from the gang
were at the mall. The other boys stole iPods from a Best Buy store and told Christopher that, in
order to be accepted into their gang, he would have to steal an iPod too. Christopher agreed to
do this, but when he put the iPod in his backpack without paying for it like the other boys did, he
was apprehended by the store security guard. The police were called because of the incident and
Christopher was charged with a misdemeanor theft. Christopher’s parents were also called, as
they had to come to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, Christopher was told
that the charge would go on his record and that he would have to pay a $500 fine.
Please rate Christopher on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence
based on your expectations.
16. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
17. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
18. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
19. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
20. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
21. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
22. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
31
ANGRJ
Damian is an African American male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not
know that many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids and wants to be accepted
by them. One day, Damian and three boys from that group were at the mall. The other boys
stole iPods from a Best Buy store, but when Damian put an iPod in his backpack without paying
for it like the other boys did, he was apprehended by the store security guard. The police were
called because of the incident and Damian was charged with a misdemeanor theft. Damian’s
parents were also called, as they had to come to the police station to pick him up. At his court
hearing, the judge directed Damian to an alternative sentencing program called Youth Court in
which he would have the opportunity to be sentenced by a jury of his peers instead of having to
pay the fine for his violation. In Youth Court, the jury sentenced Damian to write an apology
letter to the store, to attend a retail theft panel, and serve on the Youth Court jury himself for a
limited term. Once Damian has completed this alternative sentence, the charge will be taken off
of his record.
Please rate Damian on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
23. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
24. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
25. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
26. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
27. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
28. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
29. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
32
ANGRT
Tyrell is an African American male who just started as a freshman in high school. He does not
know that many people at his new school, but he met a group of kids and wants to be accepted
by them. One day, Tyrell and three boys from that group were at the mall. The other boys stole
iPods from a Best Buy store, but when Tyrell put an iPod in his backpack without paying for it
like the other boys did, he was apprehended by the store security guard. The police were called
because of the incident and Tyrell was charged with a misdemeanor theft. Tyrell’s parents were
also called, as they had to come to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, Tyrell
was told that the charge would go on his record and that he would have to pay a $500 fine.
Please rate Tyrell on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
30. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
31. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
32. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
33. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
34. How competent do you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
35. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
36. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
33
Appendix II
JARJ
Christopher is a 15-year-old African American male who just moved to a new town and is
starting his freshman year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that
many of the boys he wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball
shoes. Christopher thought that having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys.
After school he went downtown to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. Christopher
asked his parents if they could help him buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too
expensive and he could get a job and earn some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night,
Christopher went back to the shoe store when it was closed and found an unlocked window at the
back of the store. He climbed through the window and grabbed the shoes, but as he opened the
door to leave the store, an alarm was triggered. A police officer in a squad car stopped
Christopher near the scene of the crime with the shoes in hand. The officer arrested Christopher
and he was charged with burglary. As a minor, Christopher’s parents had to come down to the
police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge sentenced Christopher to participate
in a restorative justice program involving victim-offender mediation, in which he would meet
with a trained mediator and the storeowner in a structured setting so the owner could describe the
negative impact that Christopher’s crime had on him and give Christopher a chance to apologize
for his actions. The judge also ordered Christopher to complete 50 hours of community service at
the store as part of his sentence.
Please rate Christopher on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence
based on your expectations.
9. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
10. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
11. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
12. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
13. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
34
14. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
15. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
35
JART
Evan is a 15-year-old African American male who just moved to a new town and is starting his
freshman year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the
boys he wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Evan
thought that having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys. After school, he
went downtown to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. Evan asked his parents if
they could help him buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could
get a job and earn some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Evan went back to the
shoe store when it was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He
climbed through the window and grabbed the shoes, but as he opened the door to leave the store,
an alarm was triggered. A police officer in a squad car stopped Evan near the scene of the crime
with the shoes in hand. The officer arrested Evan and he was charged with burglary. As a minor,
Evan’s parents had to come down to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the
judge sentenced Evan to pay a $250 fine and gave him 6 months of probation.
Please rate Evan on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
16. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
17. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
18. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
19. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
20. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
21. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
22. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
36
JCRJ
Fred is a 15-year-old Caucasian male who just moved to a new town and is starting his freshman
year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the boys he
wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Fred thought that
having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys. After school he went downtown
to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. Fred asked his parents if they could help him
buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could get a job and earn
some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Fred went back to the shoe store when it
was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He climbed through the
window and grabbed the shoes, but as he opened the door to leave the store, an alarm was
triggered. A police officer in a squad car stopped Fred near the scene of the crime with the shoes
in hand. The officer arrested Fred and he was charged with burglary. As a minor, Fred’s parents
had to come down to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge sentenced
Fred to participate in a restorative justice program involving victim-offender mediation, in which
he would meet with a trained mediator and the storeowner in a structured setting so the owner
could describe the negative impact that Fred’s crime had on him and give Fred a chance to
apologize for his actions. The judge also ordered Fred to complete 50 hours of community
service at the store as part of his sentence.
Please rate Fred on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
23. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
24. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
25. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
26. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
27. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
28. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
37
29. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
38
JCRT
Mark is a 15-year-old Caucasian male who just moved to a new town and is starting his
freshman year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the
boys he wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Mark
thought that having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys. After school, he
went downtown to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. Mark asked his parents if
they could help him buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could
get a job and earn some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Mark went back to the
shoe store when it was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He
climbed through the window and grabbed the shoes, but as he opened the door to leave the store,
an alarm was triggered. A police officer in a squad car stopped Mark near the scene of the crime
with the shoes in hand. The officer arrested Mark and he was charged with burglary. As a minor,
Mark’s parents had to come down to the police station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the
judge sentenced Mark to pay a $250 fine and gave him 6 months of probation.
Please rate Mark on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
30. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
31. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
32. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
33. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
34. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
35. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
36. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
39
AARJ
Damien is an 18-year-old African American male who just moved to a new town and is starting
his senior year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the
boys he wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Damien
thought that having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys. After school he
went to the local shoe store downtown and saw the shoes cost $150. Damien asked his parents if
they could help him buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could
get a job and earn some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Damien went back to the
shoe store when it was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He
climbed through the window and grabbed the shoes, but as an alarm was triggered he opened the
door to leave the store. A police officer in a squad car stopped Damien near the scene of the
crime with the shoes in hand. The officer arrested Damien and he was charged with burglary.
The police called Damien’s parents and they came down to the station to pick him up. At his
court hearing, the judge sentenced Damien to participate in a restorative justice program
involving victim-offender mediation, in which he would meet with a trained mediator and the
storeowner in a structured setting so the owner could describe the negative impact that Damien’s
crime had on him and give Damien the opportunity to apologize for his actions. The judge also
ordered Damien to complete 50 hours of community service at the store as part of his sentence.
Please rate Damien on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
9. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
10. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
11. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
12. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
13. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
14. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
40
15. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
41
AART
Tyrell is an 18-year-old African American male who just moved to a new town and is starting his
senior year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the
boys he wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Tyrell
thought that having these shoes would help him fit to in with the other boys. After school he
went downtown to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. Tyrell asked his parents if
they could help him buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could
get a job and earn some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Tyrell went back to the
shoe store when it was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He
climbed through the window and grabbed the shoes, but an alarm was triggered as he opened the
door to leave the store. A police officer in a squad car stopped Tyrell near the scene of the crime
with the shoes in hand. The officer arrested Tyrell and he was charged with burglary. The police
called Tyrell’s parents and they came down to the station to pick him up. At his court hearing,
the judge sentenced Tyrell to pay a $250 fine and ordered him to 6 months of probation.
Please rate Tyrell on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
16. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
17. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
18. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
19. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
20. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
21. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
22. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
42
ACRJ
Nick is an 18-year-old Caucasian male who just moved to a new town and is starting his senior
year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the boys he
wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. Nick thought that
having these shoes would help him to fit in with the other boys. After school he went to the local
shoe store downtown and saw the shoes cost $150. Nick asked his parents if they could help him
buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could get a job and earn
some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, Nick went back to the shoe store when it
was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He climbed through the
window and grabbed the shoes, but as an alarm was triggered he opened the door to leave the
store. A police officer in a squad car stopped Nick near the scene of the crime with the shoes in
hand. The officer arrested Nick and he was charged with burglary. The police called Nick’s
parents and they came down to the station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge
sentenced Nick to participate in a restorative justice program involving victim-offender
mediation, in which he would meet with a trained mediator and the storeowner in a structured
setting so the owner could describe the negative impact that Nick’s crime had on him and give
Nick the opportunity to apologize for his actions. The judge also ordered Nick to complete 50
hours of community service at the store as part of his sentence.
Please rate Nick on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
23. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
24. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
25. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
26. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
27. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
28. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
43
29. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND REHABILITATION
44
ACRT
John is an 18-year-old Caucasian male who just moved to a new town and is starting his senior
year in high school. He did not know anyone at school, but he noticed that many of the boys he
wanted to be friends with wore expensive Retro Air Jordan basketball shoes. John thought that
having these shoes would help him fit to in with the other boys. After school he went downtown
to the local shoe store and saw the shoes cost $150. John asked his parents if they could help him
buy the shoes, but they told him the shoes were too expensive and he could get a job and earn
some money to buy the shoes himself. Late at night, John went back to the shoe store when it
was closed and found an unlocked window at the back of the store. He climbed through the
window and grabbed the shoes, but an alarm was triggered as he opened the door to leave the
store. A police officer in a squad car stopped John near the scene of the crime with the shoes in
hand. The officer arrested John and he was charged with burglary. The police called John’s
parents and they came down to the station to pick him up. At his court hearing, the judge
sentenced John to pay a $250 fine and ordered him to 6 months of probation.
Please rate John on the following characteristics after the completion of his sentence based on
your expectations.
30. How trustworthy would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
31. How responsible would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
32. How honest would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
33. How hard working would you expect him to be?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
34. Do you expect him to be able to be employed in the future?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
35. Do you expect him to be capable of rehabilitation?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much
36. Do you think his punishment was appropriate?
Not at all
1 2 3 4 5 6
Very much