Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment
This paper departs from the observation that the victim image leading public discourse has transformed in recent years: increasingly victims reject the traditional victim label implying helplessness and dependency to adopt the image of the emancipated victim that wishes to participate in the crim...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Victimology Society of Serbia and Prometej-Beograd
2011-01-01
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| Series: | Temida |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1450-6637/2011/1450-66371101005A.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811256811254185984 |
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| author | Aertsen Ivo Bolívar Daniela de Mesmaecker Vicky Lauwers Nathalie |
| author_facet | Aertsen Ivo Bolívar Daniela de Mesmaecker Vicky Lauwers Nathalie |
| author_sort | Aertsen Ivo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper departs from the observation that the victim image leading public discourse has transformed in recent years: increasingly victims reject the traditional victim label implying helplessness and dependency to adopt the image of the emancipated victim that wishes to participate in the criminal proceedings. Restorative justice at first sight provides an answer to these emancipated victims’ wishes, offering them participation in criminal proceedings. Yet, using the concept of empowerment as an example and the community psychology perspective as a theoretical reference, our analysis suggests that restorative justice uses a restricted definition of empowerment: it reduces empowerment to developing self-confidence and new understandings of the offence, neglecting the behavioural component of empowerment. This characteristic of restorative justice seems to deny victims’ capacities to promote social change and inhibit them from reaching true empowerment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:45:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35e1b95c10f34505aa46f9f2a330b298 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1450-6637 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:45:59Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Victimology Society of Serbia and Prometej-Beograd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Temida |
| spelling | doaj.art-35e1b95c10f34505aa46f9f2a330b2982022-12-22T03:22:38ZengVictimology Society of Serbia and Prometej-BeogradTemida1450-66372011-01-0114151910.2298/TEM1101005ARestorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowermentAertsen IvoBolívar Danielade Mesmaecker VickyLauwers NathalieThis paper departs from the observation that the victim image leading public discourse has transformed in recent years: increasingly victims reject the traditional victim label implying helplessness and dependency to adopt the image of the emancipated victim that wishes to participate in the criminal proceedings. Restorative justice at first sight provides an answer to these emancipated victims’ wishes, offering them participation in criminal proceedings. Yet, using the concept of empowerment as an example and the community psychology perspective as a theoretical reference, our analysis suggests that restorative justice uses a restricted definition of empowerment: it reduces empowerment to developing self-confidence and new understandings of the offence, neglecting the behavioural component of empowerment. This characteristic of restorative justice seems to deny victims’ capacities to promote social change and inhibit them from reaching true empowerment.http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1450-6637/2011/1450-66371101005A.pdfrestorative justicevictimsempowermentcommunity psychology |
| spellingShingle | Aertsen Ivo Bolívar Daniela de Mesmaecker Vicky Lauwers Nathalie Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment Temida restorative justice victims empowerment community psychology |
| title | Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment |
| title_full | Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment |
| title_fullStr | Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment |
| title_short | Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment |
| title_sort | restorative justice and the active victim exploring the concept of empowerment |
| topic | restorative justice victims empowerment community psychology |
| url | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/1450-6637/2011/1450-66371101005A.pdf |
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