Free Restorative Justice Survey
50+ Expert Crafted Restorative Justice Survey Questions
Measuring Restorative Justice outcomes lets you ensure every voice is heard and relationships are truly repaired. A Restorative Justice survey gathers insights on the fairness, empathy, and effectiveness of your interventions - critical data for fostering trust and accountability. Download our free template packed with example questions, or if you need more flexibility, customize your survey in our online form builder.
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Top Secrets Revealed: Craft a Powerful Restorative Justice Survey
A Restorative Justice survey matters when you seek honest feedback about harm, repair, and community impact. This survey reveals perceptions, measures change, and helps you plan follow-up steps. A clear instrument guides facilitators and stakeholders through empathic understanding and accountability. In fact, a recent meta-analysis shows that programs aligned with structured surveys achieve better satisfaction and lower recidivism rates.
You start by defining your goals. Do you want to measure accountability, community engagement, or harm repair? Sample questions like "What do you value most about the repair process?" and "How satisfied are you with community involvement?" can guide you. Consider the Restorative Justice Attitudes Scale (RJAS) for a validated set of items and use a mix of open and closed questions to simplify analysis.
A real-world scenario: a small nonprofit ran a short survey after a community circle. They used five scaled questions to track progress over three months. The follow-up showed a 30% rise in perceived accountability. They shared results via email and poll, collecting data in minutes and planning their next circle.
When you build your own template, embed context questions, clear instructions, and demographic items. Check out our Criminal Justice Survey for a specialized model or adapt insights from our Social Justice Survey. With these top secrets, you'll engage participants and collect actionable data.
5 Must-Know Tips to Dodge Restorative Justice Survey Slip-Ups
Even the best Restorative Justice survey can stumble if you overlook basics. One common pitfall is confusing jargon with clarity. Avoid loaded terms. Instead, ask direct questions that people understand at first read. Research warns that unclear wording can skew responses (see Redesigning Restorative Justice for Criminal Justice Reform).
Another mistake is ignoring pilot testing. Skipping this step leads to surprises during analysis. Gather feedback from a small group first. Try questions like "What barriers hinder meaningful dialogue?" and "How can we improve accountability?" Test them for clarity and tone, then adjust based on user input.
Watch out for survey fatigue. Don't cram dozens of items into one form. Instead, limit to 15 - 20 questions and group them in themes: harm, restoration, and community. A concise survey respects participants' time and boosts completion rates. I once saw a community circle get only 40% responses until we cut ten items - and participation jumped to 75%.
Finally, align your tool with proven scales. The Restorative Justice Ideology Instrument (RJI instrument) offers insight into beliefs and empathy. Combine it with focus groups for deeper context. Avoid over-reliance on one method. When you blend validated scales with open comments, you'll gain both breadth and depth - exactly what pros know for effective surveys.
Participant Experience Questions
These questions explore participants' personal experiences during the restorative justice process. By evaluating satisfaction and comfort level, we can refine facilitation and ensure voices are heard. Refer to our Social Justice Survey for broader engagement metrics.
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How satisfied were you with the overall restorative justice session?
This helps measure general participant satisfaction and identify areas for improvement in session design.
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Did you feel your voice was heard and respected throughout the process?
Gauges whether participants felt their contributions were valued and can guide more equitable dialogue practices.
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How clear were the expectations and ground rules at the start?
Assesses clarity of guidelines, which supports a structured and respectful session.
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Were you comfortable sharing your perspective in the group setting?
Determines comfort level with sharing, ensuring participants feel safe and heard.
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How effective was the facilitator at managing the discussion?
Evaluates facilitator performance to improve guidance and maintain balanced participation.
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Did you feel safe and supported emotionally during the session?
Checks if emotional safety was upheld, a key factor in restorative processes.
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Was the session length appropriate for the issues discussed?
Ensures the session length aligns with participants' attention span and needs.
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How satisfied are you with the level of confidentiality maintained?
Verifies trust in confidentiality, which encourages honest communication.
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How well did the session logistics (location, time, format) meet your needs?
Reviews logistical arrangements to enhance accessibility and convenience.
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Would you participate again or recommend the process to others?
Measures willingness to re-engage, signaling overall process effectiveness.
Emotional Impact Questions
These questions examine emotional outcomes and personal growth resulting from the restorative process. Understanding feelings of empathy, healing, and stress reduction informs trauma-sensitive practices. Explore our Trauma Informed Survey for additional emotional metrics.
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How did participating in the session affect your level of emotional stress?
Identifies any stress-related effects to tailor future sessions for better well-being.
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Did you experience increased empathy toward others involved?
Measures development of compassion, a core goal of restorative practice.
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How supported did you feel in expressing your emotions?
Assesses emotional support, ensuring facilitators respond appropriately.
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Did the process help you gain emotional closure on the incident?
Gauges achievement of closure and psychological resolution.
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How has your mood changed since the restorative session?
Tracks mood improvements as an indicator of emotional healing.
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Did you feel accountable for your feelings and actions?
Evaluates personal responsibility and accountability outcomes.
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Were there moments of emotional relief during the session?
Looks for moments of relief that validate restorative techniques.
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How effective was the session in reducing feelings of anger or resentment?
Measures reduction in negative emotions to determine process benefit.
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Do you feel more hopeful about resolution after the session?
Assesses increased optimism, which reflects restorative success.
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How comfortable were you discussing difficult emotions openly?
Ensures participants feel safe in expressing emotions, critical for trust.
Facilitator Effectiveness Questions
This set focuses on evaluating the skills and impact of facilitators guiding the restorative justice sessions. Quality facilitation is crucial to maintain fairness and engagement. See our Facilitator Feedback Survey for more facilitator-specific benchmarks.
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How prepared did the facilitator appear before the session?
Determines if facilitators are adequately prepared to manage sessions effectively.
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How well did the facilitator foster an inclusive environment?
Ensures all voices are included to maintain fairness.
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Did the facilitator manage conflicts impartially?
Assesses impartiality, critical for credibility and trust.
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How clear were the facilitator's explanations of the process?
Measures clarity of instructions, reducing confusion and frustration.
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Was the facilitator responsive to questions and concerns?
Checks responsiveness, which enhances participant confidence.
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How effectively did the facilitator encourage respectful dialogue?
Evaluates strategies to promote respectful and constructive dialogue.
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Did the facilitator balance speaking time among participants?
Ensures balanced participation, preventing domination by few voices.
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How well did the facilitator handle emotional or tense moments?
Assesses the facilitator's ability to navigate emotional challenges.
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Were follow-up actions clearly communicated by the facilitator?
Checks clarity of next steps to support accountability.
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Overall, how would you rate the facilitator's competence?
Provides an overall rating for facilitator performance assessment.
Community Relationship Questions
These questions assess the broader impact of restorative justice on community relationships and fairness. Strengthening trust and collaboration can reduce social divides. Check our Racial Equity Survey for related community insights.
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Do you feel the restorative process improved relations within the community?
Measures community healing and cohesion after restorative interventions.
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Did the session promote a sense of collective responsibility?
Assesses collective ownership of outcomes to foster collaboration.
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How effective was the session at acknowledging community norms and values?
Evaluates recognition of local norms, ensuring cultural relevance.
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Do you perceive reduced tensions between affected parties after the session?
Identifies reduction in conflict, signaling process effectiveness.
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How inclusive was the process regarding diverse community members?
Checks inclusivity, a key principle in social justice.
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Were community leaders or stakeholders adequately involved?
Assesses engagement of leaders to enhance community buy-in.
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Did participants show respect for cultural differences during the session?
Ensures respect for diversity, building trust across differences.
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How well did the session address issues of fairness and equity?
Measures fairness perceptions to maintain legitimacy.
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Has trust among group members increased since the process?
Tracks trust improvements as long-term success indicators.
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Would you recommend this process for other community conflicts?
Gauges recommendation likelihood, reflecting overall community endorsement.
Long-Term Outcomes Questions
This category explores long-term behavioral and relational outcomes following restorative justice interventions. Tracking changes over time helps to evaluate efficacy and sustainability. For follow-up studies, see our Recidivism Survey .
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Have you maintained any agreements reached during the session?
Verifies adherence to commitments, a sign of lasting impact.
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Since the session, have you noticed changes in your behavior or attitudes?
Assesses changes in attitudes or actions post-session.
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Did the process reduce the likelihood of repeating harmful actions?
Measures reduced recidivism risk as a core restorative justice goal.
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Have relationships with those involved improved over time?
Evaluates long-term relationship rebuilding success.
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Did you engage in any follow-up meetings or actions post-session?
Checks engagement in follow-up, indicating sustained involvement.
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How sustainable are the solutions agreed upon during the process?
Assesses durability of resolutions for future conflict prevention.
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Have you shared your restorative experience with others in your network?
Identifies whether participants share experiences to spread best practices.
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Did the session influence your views on conflict resolution?
Measures shifts in conflict resolution perspectives.
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Have you observed similar improvements in others who participated?
Tracks observed improvements in peers, showing communal benefits.
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Overall, how would you rate the long-term impact of the process?
Provides a holistic rating of long-term effectiveness.
