Social capital, fear of victimisation, prior victimisation : attitudes towards restorative justice in Singapore

• Main Author: Lee, Shu Min
• Other Authors: Olivia Choy
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Social sciences::Psychology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/150846
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Restorative justice practices, which are recognised as an alternative, more humane approach to justice, runs contrary to Singapore’s tendency to endorse harsher forms of punitive and retributivist punishment. However, with research highlighting the potential benefits of restorative justice on both a societal level (i.e., reducing recidivism rates) and individual level (i.e., giving victims a voice), it may be beneficial to delve into Singaporeans’ attitudes towards this practice. This study draws on 289 Singaporean respondents to examine if three factors: social capital, fear of victimisation and prior victimisation, can affect attitudes toward restorative justice. From the perspective of the three key stakeholders in the restorative justice process (community resident, victim and offender), respondents’ attitudes were examined in terms of their perceived benefits of restorative justice and support for participation in the process. Results indicate that respondents’ social capital and prior victimisation experiences were not associated with their perception of benefits and support for participation in restorative justice. However, participants with increased fear of victimisation perceived increased benefits of restorative justice for offenders and rated more support for participation in the restorative justice process as an offender. These findings not only suggest that attitudes may be influenced by other factors such as an individual’s belief in the growth mindset and Singaporeans’ resistance to change, but also that different stakeholders may possess varying attitudes towards restorative justice.