Community inclusion and victim satisfaction in restorative justice practices in Western Region, Kenya

Restorative justice is shaped by community dynamics, which can either support or hinder victim healing. This article investigates community inclusion’s role in enhancing victim satisfaction in Western Kenya, using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design informed by Putnam’s Social Capital Theory. The study focused on 18,284 adult victims of non-capital and non-sexual offences seeking restorative measures through National Government Administration Officer (NGAO) offices from 2022-2024, with a sample of 400 victims obtained through stratified and random sampling, yielding 349 usable responses (87.25% response rate). Qualitative data included insights from 24 NGAOs and 32 village elders through focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and thematic analysis. The findings indicated strong participant support for community-driven initiatives such as local counseling, legal aid, culturally sensitive services, and better police-community relationships, with mean ratings between 4.36 and 4.50. A significant positive correlation (r = .576, p < .001) was found between community inclusion and victim satisfaction, accounting for 33.1% of variance (R² = .331). Qualitative feedback revealed that community engagement fostered belonging, reduced isolation, and enhanced access to support services, although it also noted the potential lack of trauma-informed care in local support networks. The study concludes that community inclusion is crucial for victim satisfaction but requires professional support and protection from social pressures. Recommendations include funding for community education, improving support services, enhancing police-community trust, establishing structured referral systems, and ensuring post-resolution reintegration and follow-up.