Nearly every person who commits a crime is either praised by court professionals for their sincere remorsefulness, or penalized for the (perceived) absence of their remorse. The criminal system demands defendants to express remorse in the courtroom, but victims rarely accept a defendant's apology. Further, while a defendant's remorse might indicate this person's care for others and their capacity to better themselves, the carceral system does not allow defendants to prove themselves accountable for harm they have caused, or provide opportunities for incarcerated people to reintegrate into society. The relevance of remorse in the courtroom reveals the injustices of the United States' legal system, but also suggests the potential for interpersonal guilt and empathy in building a better system. I suggest remorse is a valuable emotion for interpersonal repair, but it must be fostered within a system structured by transformative justice ideology that works to support both defendants and victims following crime. A system that prevents crime through strong social structures and responds to crime with rigorous support for perpetrators and victims allows the strong relationships necessary to foster dialogue where remorse is expressed.
"},{"label":"Degree","value":["Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors"]},{"label":"Administrative Note","value":"Drupal Node ID: 33827