Listened to a radio programme the other day on the concept of ‘Restorative Justice’. Basically the principle is for the victim to meet the perpetrator face to face and get an apology. a lot like the Truth and Reconciliation thing in South Africa. Apparently has good results with certain types of criminals but not hardened criminals. Our current justice system totally excludes the victim from the process and its good for them to karmically square up face to face?
RJ helps the victim get over the crime too. With our current system the perpetrator never has to face the pain of the victim, he just has to deal with persecution which is old hat to him. Interesting…
And what does it cost the criminal?
A bit of his karmic load. 
Hi A,
So what kind of good results? Excuse my cynicism, but those who victimize others whether deliberate or thoughtlessly don’t seem to be good candidates for genuine penitance. “Gee, I didn’t really mean to rape your daughter. I was (insert rationalization here), and I’m sorry.”
I can understand that there may be genuine regret and apologies offered, but I don’t see how this could work under court supervision with any credibility for either party. I’m not sure how one would sort out whether the perpetrator of the crime regrets their actions or just regrets getting caught. The prisoner’s dilemma is as old as man, and the results of any statement of remorse is questionable at best.
When bound to the stake and the torch is near, what song would you like me to sing, and in what key?
JT
Hi JT,
I dunno, it’s just a concept. I didn’t actually consider the reality of it. It seems though that the criminal might have more of a chance of reforming than in our current system. I know that when someone transgresses against me, although I have other methods, perhaps more spiritual methods of ‘letting go’ it’s always good to get an apology. I dunno… And when I’ve done something hurtful to someone else, I find if I face up to that person, which in my mind is ultimately facing up to myself, I think twice before committing the nasty again. Perhaps I’m naive, but I would always try to find another Way.
A
Hi A,
There isn’t anything wrong with the concept, it’s the practice that seem’s dubious. I think you’ve hit on the key; one must confront themselves when they have transgressed. If I have sinned, I must first look myself in the mirror, feel genuinely penitent, and apologize to myself for my failings. At that point, I will want to apologize to those I have victimized, and will seek an opportunity to do so. I don’t think that a forced meeting of perpetrator and victim is likely to produce the intended results. It might work if the system simply made that meeting possible and then left it up to both parties to to decide when and if to meet. If both parties know that there is no reward for meeting other than the opportunity to apologize and the ability to forgive, then there is genuineness, and from that perhaps a behavioral change - for the better.
JT
JT,
A program that educates goth parties - I’d be interested to see what the results would be.
A
A,
True repentence and forgiveness. I don’t think they can be an ed program, I think they just happen from time to time…
JT
JT,
Repentance and forgiveness can be learned. Like any realisation it can start with intellectual understanding and then with sincere practice, genuine realisation follows. And faith, well…faith can move mountains!
A
Hi A,
Ok, I won’t take issue with what you’re saying, mostly because I believe it too, but I think that in a criminal justice system you’d be pushing water uphill. I’ve worked with a number of folks who have entered the ‘system’ and while all may be sorry, very few are up to intellectual understanding. If they were, they probably wouldn’t have gotten into the system in the first place. It isn’t that this idea couldn’t work, it’s just not very likely.
JT