Parents as Supporters in Victim-Youth Conferences: Effects on Reparation and School Outcomes

The involvement of supporters-such as family members or friends-has become increasingly common across different restorative justice (RJ) models, particularly in RJ conferences (RJC) with adolescents who have offended. The reintegrative shaming theory posits that supporters' participation in RJC is central to explaining behavioral change through these interventions. However, limited research has explored how their presence at the conference affects restorative and behavioral outcomes. The current study examined the influence of youth's supporters' presence at RJC, particularly parents, on reparation and youth school outcomes. Data from 335 responsible adolescents who participated in a school-based Victim-Youth Conferencing (VYC) program were analyzed. Results showed that youth participating in VYCs with parental support were less likely to receive school sanctions than those with other types of supporters. Further, conferences that led to reparation plans high in restorativeness predicted more favorable students' school outcomes than those that reached plans low in restorativeness.