Back to RJ Archive

Restorative justice theory validation

McCold, Paul
June 4, 2015

Source: (2000) Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference of the International Network for Research on Restorative Justice for Juveniles. Tübingen, Germany, 1-4 October.

McCold and Wachtel maintain that the rise of restorative justice practices has preceded theory. Nevertheless, the social sciences have a vital role to play in providing description, theory, and evaluation. Assertions about what constitutes good practices should be tested; that is, the scientific method (proposing and testing theoretical concepts) should play a critical role in developing a valid restorative justice theory. Toward that end, in this paper the authors aim to test the validity of key hypotheses derived from restorative justice theory with currently available research.

Tags:

AbstractEuropeRJ in SchoolsStatutes and Legislation
Support the cause

We've Been Restoring Justice for More Than 40 Years

Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.

Donate Now