Which framework emphasizes empathy, compassion, and interpersonal relationships in addressing crime and justice?

• A. Ethics of Care
• B. Peacemaking Criminology
• C. Integrity
• D. Whistleblower

Answer: (B)

Peacemaking Criminology centers on empathy, compassion, and interpersonal relationships as the guiding force in addressing crime and justice. It treats crime as a disturbance in human connections and seeks to repair harm through nonviolent means, dialogue, and community involvement. This approach emphasizes restorative processes—such as victim–offender mediation, restorative circles, and community conferences—that bring people affected by crime together to understand harms, take accountability, and heal relationships. The goal is not just to punish but to transform the conditions that produce crime and to foster peace within communities, underscoring the moral importance of empathy and relational care in justice practice.

While the ethics of care also values relationships and care, the question points to a criminology framework that explicitly applies these relational, empathetic principles to justice practice and policy in a restorative, community-centered way. The other options focus on individual virtue or reporting misconduct, rather than a justice framework built around empathetic engagement and reconciliation.