Reconciliation in a Community-Based Restorative Justice Intervention

Authors

David K. Androff, Arizona State University

Keywords

Reconciliation, Truth and Reconciliation Commissions, restorative justice, victims, violence, post-conflict reconstruction, peace building

Abstract

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs) are among the primary means for promoting reconciliation in communities recovering from violent conflict. However, there is a lack of consensus about what reconciliation means or how it is best achieved. In a qualitative study of the first TRC in the U.S., this research interviewed victims of racial violence who participated in the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission (GTRC), a community-based restorative justice intervention. Findings reveal that participants conceptualized reconciliation as a multileveled process, that different concepts of reconciliation influenced assessments of the success and limitations of the GTRC, and indicate how community-based restorative interventions can be improved to contribute to reconciliation in a local setting.

Recommended Citation

Androff, David K. (2012) "Reconciliation in a Community-Based Restorative Justice Intervention," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 39: Iss. 4, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.3700
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol39/iss4/5