Applying appreciative inquiry principles in the restorative justice field.

Source: (2012) Postmodern Openings. 3(2):37-52.

Although the convergence between appreciative ideology and the ideologies
derived from the need of preserving human dignity is not complete, they can be seen in
a single paradigm of affirmative action. Although restorative justice principles are not
inspired by appreciative inquiry methodology, are at least converging with it, both of
them focusing on human potential positivity. Moving the accent from the offense and
its due retribution, on the recovery of prior state offense, both for the victim and the
offender, this can be interpreted as waiving the deficiency paradigm, and integrating
positive experiences resulting from mediation offender-victim relationship in an
appreciative paradigm. Application of appreciative inquiry in restorative justice and in
probation systems is a unique area in the world, it being applied only on an
experimental level in some restorative justice programs.
(author’s abstract)