In general, victims seek validation for their suffering, while some victims desire to be included in the criminal justice process. This can allow victims to be heard and can bring closure to them and their families. Justice, and more importantly the victims’ sense of justice can effectively reduce the risk of secondary victimization. Therefore, the correlation between justice and forgiveness is very important. The extent of the victims’ sense of justice and forgiveness depends on the approach to justice. Michael Wenzel1 and Tyler G. Okimoto study the relationship between restoration of justice and forgiveness. The study provides evidence that a restored sense of justice is overall positively related to forgiveness. However, the studies also revealed that forgiveness is highly dependent on the means of justice being retributive versus restorative in nature. Although both retributive and restorative justice increase forgiveness indirectly through increased feelings of justice, the findings showed that consensus-seeking restorative justice but not retributive responses led to greater forgiveness. Lastly, the studies showed that feelings of justice resulting from restorative responses were positively related to forgiveness, while feelings of justice resulting from retributive responses were not (Wenzel & Okimoto). Justice impacts the victim as much as the offender.
In general, victims seek validation for their suffering, while some victims desire to be included in the criminal justice process. This can allow victims to be heard and can bring closure to them and their families. Justice, and more importantly the victims’ sense of justice can effectively reduce the risk of secondary victimization. Therefore, the correlation between justice and forgiveness is very important. The extent of the victims’ sense of justice and forgiveness depends on the approach to justice. Michael Wenzel1 and Tyler G. Okimoto study the relationship between restoration of justice and forgiveness. The study provides evidence that a restored sense of justice is overall positively related to forgiveness. However, the studies also revealed that forgiveness is highly dependent on the means of justice being retributive versus restorative in nature. Although both retributive and restorative justice increase forgiveness indirectly through increased feelings of justice, the findings showed that consensus-seeking restorative justice but not retributive responses led to greater forgiveness. Lastly, the studies showed that feelings of justice resulting from restorative responses were positively related to forgiveness, while feelings of justice resulting from retributive responses were not (Wenzel & Okimoto). Justice impacts the victim as much as the offender.