Evaluating Restorative Justice Circles of Support and Accountability: Can Social Support Overcome Structural Barriers?

Abstract

In a climate in which stigmatic shaming is increasing for sex offenders as they leave prison, restorative justice practices have emerged as a promising approach to sex offender reentry success and have been shown to reduce recidivism. Criminologists and restorative justice advocates believe that providing ex-offenders with social support that they may not otherwise have is crucial to reducing recidivism. This case study describes the expressive and instrumental social support required and received, and its relationship to key outcomes, by sex offenders who participated in Circles of Support and Accountability (COSAs), a restorative justice, reentry program in Minnesota. In-depth interviews with re-entering sex offenders and program volunteers revealed that 75% of offenders reported weak to moderate levels of social support leaving prison, 70% reported receiving instrumental support in COSAs, and 100% reported receiving expressive support. Findings inform work on social support, structural barriers, and restorative justice programming during sex offender reentry.

Desistance From Crime Without Reintegration

“…Distancing themselves from people with whom they have an established friendship might lead to potentially conflicting situations (Farrall, Hunter, Sharpe, & Calverley, 2014). Limited research has shown that, generally speaking, convicted sex offenders have minimal social support upon their community reentry (e.g., Bohmert, Duwe, & Hipple, 2016;Gutiérrez-Lobos et al, 2001). Thus, given their limited options for legitimate prosocial capital outside of their already established social network, these individuals may be particularly hesitant to move away from peers, despite their own awareness of the potentially negative impact of this network on their pathway to desistance.…”

Victim–Offender Mediation and Reduced Reoffending: Gauging the Self-Selection Bias

“…Restorative justice, on the contrary, views crime as a violation of the relationship between people, which concerns both victim and offender, but also broader society (Wong, Bouchard, Gravel, Bouchard, & Morselli, 2016; Zehr, 2015). The active participation of the direct involved parties—most often victim and offender—in resolving the crime is considered essential for justice to be done (Bohmert, Duwe, & Hipple, 2018; Bradshaw & Roseborough, 2005; Claessen, 2017; Umbreit et al, 2004; Zehr, 2015). It focuses on the harm that has been inflicted and the needs the involved parties have, as well as its aim is to put things as right as possible.…”

Comparing Recidivism of Sexual and Nonsexual Offenders: The Role of Humanist, Spiritual, and Religious Involvement

“…Numerous psychological and criminological explanations have been put forward to explain why participants in HSR programs in prison are less likely to recidivate. Social control theories are commonly invoked to explain the prosocial effect of religiosity, positing that individuals are less likely to recidivate if they have stronger prosocial attachments, a stake in conformity, and spend much of their time engaged in structured conventional activities (Giordano et al, 2008; Hipple, Duwe, & Northcutt Bohmert, 2016; O’Connor & Perreyclear, 2002; Schroeder & Frana, 2009; Stansfield, Mowen, O’Connor, & Boman, 2017). As an example, although Giordano et al (2008) found that neither closeness to God nor church attendance were associated with desistance, they concluded that religiosity “potentially can provide a much-needed entrée to a more prosocial network and an important layer of social support” (p. 22).…”

“…Furthermore, the faith community can help nurture feelings of acceptance, self-esteem, empathy, hope for the journey ahead, as well as redemption (Armour, Windsor, Aguilar, & Taub, 2008; Camp, Daggett, Kown, & Klein, 2008; Hipple et al, 2016; Kerley, Matthews, & Schulz, 2005). A recent study of Louisiana’s prison seminary program revealed the value people in prison place on feeling accepted, self-perception, and positive self-identity (Hallett et al, 2017).…”

“…Explaining the positive results among participants in the COSA studies, scholars often point to the acceptance and compassion offered by trained leaders, providing much needed social support for a group of people who have largely been ostracized during their time incarcerated and since release. Thus, for individuals who find themselves most isolated from the larger social context, ties to a faith community can help to develop (or redevelop) a socialized mind, improve social skills, and integrate individuals into a larger social context (Hipple et al, 2016; Höing et al, 2017).…”