Measuring the Effectiveness of Restorative Justice Practices in the Republic of Ireland Through a Meta-Analysis of Functionalist Exchange

• Author: Liam Leonard,Paula Kenny
• Published date: 01 March 2011
• Date: 01 March 2011
• DOI: 10.1177/0032885510389561
• Subject Matter: Articles

The Prison Journal

91(1) 57 –80

© 2011 SAGE Publications

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DOI: 10.1177/0032885510389561

http://tpj.sagepub.com

389561TPJ91110.1177/0032885510389

561Leonard and KennyThe Prison Journal

© 2011 SAGE Publications

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1Institute of Technology, Sligo, Ballinode, Sligo, Republic of Ireland

Corresponding Author:

Liam Leonard, Department of Humanities, Institute of Technology, Ash Lane, Sligo,

Republic of Ireland

Email: liam_leonard@yahoo.com

Measuring the

Effectiveness of

Restorative Justice

Practices in the

Republic of Ireland

Through a Meta-Analysis

of Functionalist Exchange

Liam Leonard1 and Paula Kenny1

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of restorative justice practice in the Republic

of Ireland. This is achieved through an examination of data on restorative justice

conferencing events in various venues around Ireland. From these data, the

authors analyze these restorative events through an examination of the “func-

tionalist exchange,” which occurs during the interaction between participants

in such events. The extent of functionalist exchange is measured through an

application of the meta-analysis first utilized in relation to restorative justice

practice by Jeff Latimer, Craig Dowden, and Danielle Muise. The study assesses

the extent to which functionalist roles become significant in restorative con-

ference outcomes. The article argues that to be truly restorative, events must

incorporate the extent to which remorse and subsequent satisfaction is

expressed. In addition, the theories of restorative justice are shown to require

a further analysis from the practitioners’ perspective, which this article provides.

By examining the concepts such as Tomkins’ affect theory and Nathanson’s

compass of shame, along with the practitioner-based perspective of Morris

Article

58 The Prison Journal 91(1)

and Maxwell, this research constructs a wider understanding of the signifi-

cance of the functionalist roles of participants during restorative events.

Keywords

restorative justice, functionalist exchange, restorative conferences, participants

Introduction

In line with many states that have sought to look beyond established punitive

versus rehabilitative measures, policy makers in the Republic of Ireland have

sought to introduce Restorative Justice as a “third way.” Restorative Justice

has subsequently become a significant aspect of innovative justice policy in

the Republic of Ireland. This article examines the effectiveness of restorative

justice in Ireland through a meta-analysis1 of the “Functionalist Exchange”

that occurs during restorative conferences. By utilizing the meta-analysis first

applied by Latimer et al. (2005), the process of meta-analysis is set out in that

study as follows:

•Literature review: identifying and gathering relevant research studies;

•Data collection: extracting data through predetermined coding pro-

cedures;

•Data analysis: analyzing the aggregated data using statistical techniques

(pp. 127-144).

From these three components, understandings of significant variables can

be derived. For the purposes of this article, the variables investigated are the

remorse expressed by offenders and the satisfaction derived by participants,

such as victims or victims’ families. The unit of analysis is six restorative

conferences that were held in the greater Dublin area over a number of years.

The authors have devised a theory of “Functionalist Exchange” based on the

role-based functional interaction that occurs at such events. This concept of

“functionalist exchange” provides the basis for understanding the extent of

remorse or satisfaction expressed by the conference participants. A further

area of analysis will be the application of the wider practitioners’ perspective

to the findings. This practitioners’ perspective is derived from the theories of

Nathanson’s compass of shame (1992) and Tomkins’ (1992) affect theory, both

of which are central to the work of restorative justice conferencing. By apply-

ing the practitioners’ view to the meta-analysis of events at the conferences

through the prism of “functionalist exchange,” this article provides a deeper