{"id":{"repo_id":"regina","oai_identifier":"oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/14989"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/regina/oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/14989","repository":{"repo_id":"regina","name":"University of Regina","base_url":"https://uregina.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Restorative Justice, Apology, Restitution, and Forgiveness","abstract":"Operating from a retributive approach, the current criminal justice system (CJS) often does not appear to value the well-being of victims. As an alternative approach, restorative justice values the well-being of victims and provides opportunities that can foster forgiveness compared to a retributive approach. London (2011) has linked the importance of forgiveness to the emotional and psychological well-being of victims. Using London’s (2006; 2011), this research aims to provide insight into what factors affect an individual’s willingness to forgive an offender. In doing so, this may improve and expand on how the Canadian CJS is able to serve the needs of victims and improve their well-being. University of Regina students were surveyed regarding factors that may increase their willingness to forgive an offender following two separate hypothetical crime scenarios. Data were collected on the demographics, participants’ support for either a retributive or restorative paradigm, and whether participants were victim- or offender-focused. The demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, and religiousness did not indicate any positive relationships with participants’ willingness to forgive. When analyzing paradigmatic support, participants indicated uncertainty as they supported both restorative and retributive values. However, no relationship was identified between restorative- and retributive-focused and participants’ willingness to forgive. Victim- or offender-focused also showed no relationship with participants’ willingness to forgive. In conclusion, a lack of factors associated with a victim’s willingness to forgive were identified, suggesting that future research is needed to better understand what increases a victim’s willingness to forgive an offender. An unanticipated outcome was the lack of definitiveness regarding restorative and retributive perspectives on the CJS. This may suggest the beginning of a paradigmatic shift – from retributive to restorative – in how individuals approach justice, but warrants further research. Restorative justice is not a new approach, but the results of this study indicated that the ideologies and elements that support restorative justice may be becoming more mainstream.","abstract_html":"Operating from a retributive approach, the current criminal justice system (CJS) often does not appear to value the well-being of victims. As an alternative approach, restorative justice values the well-being of victims and provides opportunities that can foster forgiveness compared to a retributive approach. London (2011) has linked the importance of forgiveness to the emotional and psychological well-being of victims. Using London’s (2006; 2011), this research aims to provide insight into what factors affect an individual’s willingness to forgive an offender. In doing so, this may improve and expand on how the Canadian CJS is able to serve the needs of victims and improve their well-being. University of Regina students were surveyed regarding factors that may increase their willingness to forgive an offender following two separate hypothetical crime scenarios. Data were collected on the demographics, participants’ support for either a retributive or restorative paradigm, and whether participants were victim- or offender-focused. The demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, and religiousness did not indicate any positive relationships with participants’ willingness to forgive. When analyzing paradigmatic support, participants indicated uncertainty as they supported both restorative and retributive values. However, no relationship was identified between restorative- and retributive-focused and participants’ willingness to forgive. Victim- or offender-focused also showed no relationship with participants’ willingness to forgive. In conclusion, a lack of factors associated with a victim’s willingness to forgive were identified, suggesting that future research is needed to better understand what increases a victim’s willingness to forgive an offender. An unanticipated outcome was the lack of definitiveness regarding restorative and retributive perspectives on the CJS. This may suggest the beginning of a paradigmatic shift – from retributive to restorative – in how individuals approach justice, but warrants further research. Restorative justice is not a new approach, but the results of this study indicated that the ideologies and elements that support restorative justice may be becoming more mainstream.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Holmes, Amber Rae"],"institution":"Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina","degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Jones, Nicholas"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Asadullah, Muhammad","Keown, Leslie-Anne"],"year":2021,"date_issued":"2021-09","date_published":"2021-09","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:03:47Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.82465/4946"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.82465/4946","href":"https://doi.org/10.82465/4946","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10294/14989","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Jones, Nicholas"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Asadullah, Muhammad","Keown, Leslie-Anne"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Holmes, Amber Rae"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-08-05T16:43:26Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-08-05T16:43:26Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2021-09"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["master thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://doi.org/10.82465/4946"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10294/14989"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Justice Studies, University of Regina. ix, 122 p."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Operating from a retributive approach, the current criminal justice system (CJS) often does not appear to value the well-being of victims. As an alternative approach, restorative justice values the well-being of victims and provides opportunities that can foster forgiveness compared to a retributive approach. London (2011) has linked the importance of forgiveness to the emotional and psychological well-being of victims. Using London’s (2006; 2011), this research aims to provide insight into what factors affect an individual’s willingness to forgive an offender. In doing so, this may improve and expand on how the Canadian CJS is able to serve the needs of victims and improve their well-being. University of Regina students were surveyed regarding factors that may increase their willingness to forgive an offender following two separate hypothetical crime scenarios. Data were collected on the demographics, participants’ support for either a retributive or restorative paradigm, and whether participants were victim- or offender-focused. The demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, and religiousness did not indicate any positive relationships with participants’ willingness to forgive. When analyzing paradigmatic support, participants indicated uncertainty as they supported both restorative and retributive values. However, no relationship was identified between restorative- and retributive-focused and participants’ willingness to forgive. Victim- or offender-focused also showed no relationship with participants’ willingness to forgive. In conclusion, a lack of factors associated with a victim’s willingness to forgive were identified, suggesting that future research is needed to better understand what increases a victim’s willingness to forgive an offender. An unanticipated outcome was the lack of definitiveness regarding restorative and retributive perspectives on the CJS. This may suggest the beginning of a paradigmatic shift – from retributive to restorative – in how individuals approach justice, but warrants further research. Restorative justice is not a new approach, but the results of this study indicated that the ideologies and elements that support restorative justice may be becoming more mainstream."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Restorative Justice, Apology, Restitution, and Forgiveness"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Jones, Nicholas"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Asadullah, Muhammad","Keown, Leslie-Anne"],"dc:creator":["Holmes, Amber Rae"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-08-05T16:43:26Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-08-05T16:43:26Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2021-09"],"dc:description":["A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Justice Studies, University of Regina. ix, 122 p."],"dc:description.abstract":["Operating from a retributive approach, the current criminal justice system (CJS) often does not appear to value the well-being of victims. As an alternative approach, restorative justice values the well-being of victims and provides opportunities that can foster forgiveness compared to a retributive approach. London (2011) has linked the importance of forgiveness to the emotional and psychological well-being of victims. Using London’s (2006; 2011), this research aims to provide insight into what factors affect an individual’s willingness to forgive an offender. In doing so, this may improve and expand on how the Canadian CJS is able to serve the needs of victims and improve their well-being. University of Regina students were surveyed regarding factors that may increase their willingness to forgive an offender following two separate hypothetical crime scenarios. Data were collected on the demographics, participants’ support for either a retributive or restorative paradigm, and whether participants were victim- or offender-focused. The demographic variables of ethnicity, gender, and religiousness did not indicate any positive relationships with participants’ willingness to forgive. When analyzing paradigmatic support, participants indicated uncertainty as they supported both restorative and retributive values. However, no relationship was identified between restorative- and retributive-focused and participants’ willingness to forgive. Victim- or offender-focused also showed no relationship with participants’ willingness to forgive. In conclusion, a lack of factors associated with a victim’s willingness to forgive were identified, suggesting that future research is needed to better understand what increases a victim’s willingness to forgive an offender. An unanticipated outcome was the lack of definitiveness regarding restorative and retributive perspectives on the CJS. This may suggest the beginning of a paradigmatic shift – from retributive to restorative – in how individuals approach justice, but warrants further research. Restorative justice is not a new approach, but the results of this study indicated that the ideologies and elements that support restorative justice may be becoming more mainstream."],"dc:identifier.doi":["https://doi.org/10.82465/4946"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10294/14989"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina"],"dc:title":["Restorative Justice, Apology, Restitution, and Forgiveness"],"dc:type":["master thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:03:47Z"}