Restorative Practices: A Systemic Approach to Support Social Responsibility

Abstract

Developing social responsibility creates an effective protective factor for social health. The ideal is that all members of any community naturally practise socially appropriate behavior. The reality is that wherever many people interact with one another, incidents will occur. Societal structures have changed drastically over the past century, yet the way society deals with inappropriate behavior is still stuck in a punitive approach. This approach judges the individual and seems to have little effect on the number and severity of incidents. Punishment is too soft. 'Restorative practices' is an effective alternative to the traditional punitive approach. It is rooted in the systemic view that behavior does not occur in a vacuum but in the context of a societal system. In the restorative view, offenders need to gain insight into the consequences of their actions and need to take an active role in repairing the harm they have incurred. Often, this harm is more in the social and relational realm than material. The restorative approach provides a practical strategy that allows both offenders and their victims to gain insight into each other's experience, to understand the consequences of their behavior and to find ways to ensure that the damage is repaired. The basic ingredient is that victim and offender together develop a solution, thereby increasing their own problem-solving capacity and thus the ability to cooperate, naturally enhancing their intrinsic social responsibility.