The Relationships between Restorative Justice, Empathy and Social Values

Abstract

The aim of this study was to know the relationship between psychosocial factors (empathy and social values) and Restorative Justice (RJ). A quasiexperimental study was carried out with 187 subjects (M = 40.27, SD = 12.32 years). Participants were randomly assigned to an assumption about RJ with 3 conditions (defiant, repentance, and impunity) and questions regarding crime management such as: punishment, dialogue, accountability and reparation. In addition, subjects completed several scales on negative emotions (α = 0.81), empathy (α = 0.72) and social values (α = 0.76). Correlational analyzes (Pearson's r) and comparison of means (t test and ANOVA) were performed. The results confirmed that anger is the emotion most intensely felt when people are witness of the suffering of crime on another person. However, there are significant differences depending on the defiant and repentance attitudes shown by the aggressor, by the set of negative emotions, as well as by accepting the possibility of dialogue between the parties. When there is high empathic concern, it makes RJ processes characterized by accountability and reparation, while conservation values (tradition and security) were linked to punishment. All these findings reveal new knowledge in the study of RJ, empathy and social values.