Research Proposal on Restorative Justice

by | Dec 5, 2023 | criminal justice

 

Research Methods Research Proposal on Restorative Justice
Sections –
1. Introduction – what is the topic of your proposal? General issues surrounding your topic. About 1 paragraph.
2. Literature review – At least 2 sources that have studied the same topic. Preferably research which has used the same methodology that you will propose using later in the paper. Probably 3 pages.
3. Conceptualization – What is your definition of the concept being studied? For example, if you are going to study “fear of crime” what do you mean by this? Fear of violent crime? Fear of property crime? Fear of being the victim of fraud? All of these are different conceptions of the same concept. You have to be specific in this section. This is where you will operationalize the concepts in the proposal. Probably 1 page.
4. Methodology – specify the research methodology you would use. Possible methodologies you could use include experimental design, quasi-experimental design, time-series, surveys, field research, content analysis, official records, etc. These methodologies are explained in the text. You need to explain how you will apply the methodological approach to the research topic you have select.
a. Operationalization – what will the variables mean and how will they be measured. Why did you operationalize them in this manner?
b. Sampling – who will you be studying? How will you find the subjects in your study? Why did you select that sample and how will it relate back to a population?

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Sample Answer

Sample Answer

Research Proposal on Restorative Justice

1. Introduction

This research proposal aims to investigate the effectiveness of restorative justice as a method of resolving conflicts and promoting healing in the criminal justice system. Restorative justice is an alternative approach to traditional punitive measures, focusing on repairing the harm caused by crimes and reintegrating offenders into the community. This proposal will explore the general issues surrounding restorative justice, its benefits, and potential limitations.

2. Literature Review

The following are two sources that have studied restorative justice and utilized similar methodologies:

Smith, D. R., & Bradshaw, W. (2017). Evaluating the impact of restorative justice conferences on reoffending: A matched samples analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 13(1), 51-74.

This study utilized an experimental design to assess the impact of restorative justice conferences on reoffending rates. The researchers compared a group of offenders who participated in restorative justice conferences with a matched control group who went through the traditional criminal justice process. The findings indicated that restorative justice conferences were associated with a significant reduction in reoffending rates.

Strang, H., & Sherman, L. W. (2018). Repairing the harm of crime: A longitudinal assessment of the impact of restorative justice on post-victimization psychological well-being. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 14(3), 303-330.

In this longitudinal study, the researchers employed surveys and interviews to examine the impact of restorative justice on the psychological well-being of victims. The findings suggested that victims who participated in restorative justice processes experienced greater psychological well-being and satisfaction with the criminal justice system compared to those who did not participate.

3. Conceptualization

In this research proposal, restorative justice is defined as an approach that emphasizes repairing harm caused by crimes through voluntary dialogue and negotiation between offenders, victims, and their respective communities. It encompasses a range of practices, including victim-offender mediation, community conferencing, and circle sentencing. The focus is on addressing the needs of victims, holding offenders accountable, and facilitating the reintegration of offenders into society.

4. Methodology

a. Operationalization: The variables in this study will be operationalized as follows:

Effectiveness of restorative justice: This will be measured by assessing changes in reoffending rates, victim satisfaction, and psychological well-being.
Harm repair: This will be evaluated through victim perceptions of restoration, offender accountability, and community involvement.
Reintegration: This will be assessed by examining the extent to which offenders successfully reintegrate into society, including factors such as employment, educational attainment, and social connections.

The operationalization choices are based on previous research that has identified these variables as key indicators of the effectiveness of restorative justice practices.

b. Sampling: The study will involve a purposive sampling approach to select participants who have been involved in restorative justice processes. Participants will include both offenders who have gone through restorative justice conferences and victims who have engaged in victim-offender mediation or community conferencing. Sampling will be conducted through collaboration with restorative justice programs in selected jurisdictions.

The selection of this sample is based on the need to gather data from individuals who have firsthand experience with restorative justice practices. By including both offenders and victims, a comprehensive understanding of the impacts can be obtained. The sample will be representative of the population within the specific jurisdictions where restorative justice programs are implemented.

Conclusion

This research proposal outlines a plan to investigate the impact of restorative justice on various outcomes in the criminal justice system. By conducting a literature review, conceptualizing the key variables, and specifying the methodology, this study aims to contribute to the existing knowledge on restorative justice and provide insights into its effectiveness as an alternative approach to traditional punitive measures. Through careful operationalization and sampling procedures, this research can shed light on the potential benefits and limitations of restorative justice practices in promoting healing and reducing recidivism rates.

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