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Justice from the Victim’s Perspective

Lewis, Judith
June 4, 2015

Source: (2005) Violence Against Women. 11(5): 571-602.

What are the meanings of justice, as seen from the perspective of victims of violent crime? Are victims’ visions of justice represented by the conventional legal system? Are they represented by restorative justice? The author engages these questions, drawing on in-depth interviews with 22 victims of violent crime. It is argued that survivors’ views of justice do not fit well into either retributive or restorative models. This has implications for current efforts to use restorative models in cases of violence against women.

Keywords: Crime victims; feminism; restorative justice

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