Legal Pluralism, Restorative Justice, and Social Change

科学证明，作为公共产品的文化演变的规范可以限制个人利益，并促进集体行动，以克服公共悲剧和共同悲剧。然而，我们几乎不了解现有规范是如何转变的，新的规范是如何演变的，以便在面对变化时看到正义得到伸张，合作得到进一步发展。许多司法管辖区采用了法律多元化，以实现社会不同层面的和谐，其中以西方为基础的正式法院负责执行报复性司法，而习惯法院则通过恢复性司法协商妥协。该项目探讨了这些恢复性司法公共论坛的作用，这些论坛是了解在人口、经济和社会迅速变化的情况下，将不同意见纳入规范转变以维持社区合作的动态的最佳环境。该项目包括教育部分，扩大未被充分代表的群体对科学的参与，并提高公众对科学的理解。研究小组将编写关于法院和风俗习惯的教育材料。该研究由Polly Wiessner博士(亚利桑那州立大学和犹他大学)和Nitze Pupu先生(Enga传统和过渡中心)进行，将以十年的研究为基础，观察和记录自2008年以来巴布亚新几内亚Enga部落内部和部落之间的1 000多个村级法院的习惯法庭案件。习惯法法院是露天论坛，由选举产生的地方领导人执掌，有广泛的参与度，并主持广泛的公众讨论。他们因解决冲突和轻微罪行而受到政府的制裁，尽管他们经常为严重的冲突和罪行进行调解。这项研究将审查记录在案的案例的过程和结果，并继续研究新的案例，询问：(1)哪些程序、规范和习俗继续带来令社区满意的决定；(2)如何在公共论坛上更新规范和价值观，以应对新的现实，如手机通信模式的根本改变，性关系和婚姻规范的变化，战争中的枪支，和土地继承？(3)社区成员如何帮助弥补所造成的伤害，并将做错事的人带回家园，成为富有成效的公民？(4)不同违法行为的累犯率是多少？(5)为什么习惯法院往往比正式法院更受青睐？(6)正式的西方法院和传统乡村法院之间的关系是如何随着情况的变化而改变的，以及如何解决不匹配的问题以避免法律纠纷？提议的方法包括收集法院案件数据，收集关于赔偿支付的后续数据，对关键案件的参与者(包括习惯法院官员、参与案件的人以及观察诉讼程序或为赔偿付款作出贡献的人)进行后续约谈，收集关于累犯的后续数据，最后与治安法官和习惯法院官员举办讲习班和焦点小组，以了解他们对习惯法院制度随时间的变化的看法。PI计划使用内容分析方法来确定围绕复制、生产和社会支持的不断变化的规范；以及改变与正式法院的联系。这项研究将有助于更好地理解地方、区域和国家系统之间的联系。恢复性司法系统的适应潜力引起了人类学家和其他法律制度学者的广泛兴趣。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

It has been scientifically well documented that culturally evolved norms as public goods can constrain individual interest and facilitate collective action to overcome tragedies of the commons as well as common tragedies. However, we have little understanding of how existing norms are shifted and new norms evolve, so that justice is seen to be done and cooperation furthered in the face of change. Many jurisdictions have adopted legal pluralism to bring about harmony at different levels of society with formal western-based law courts for administering retributive justice and customary courts negotiating compromise through restorative justice. This project explores the role of these public forums for restorative justice, which are optimal settings for understanding the dynamics of coalescing diverse opinions into norm shifts to maintain community cooperation despite rapid demographic, economic and social change. The project includes educational components that broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in science, and improve the public's understanding of science. The research team will produce educational materials on courts and customs. The work is highly generalizable to other traditional court and restorative justice systems, which will contribute to the field at large.The study conducted by Dr. Polly Wiessner (Arizona State University and the University of Utah) and Mr. Nitze Pupu, J D (Enga Tradition and Transition Centre) will build on a decade of research observing and documenting over 1,000 customary court cases in village courts within and between the tribes of the Enga of Papua New Guinea since 2008. Customary courts are open air forums, manned by elected local leaders, have broad participation, and host extensive public discussion. They are sanctioned by the government for resolving conflicts and minor crimes, although they often mediate settlements for serious ones. The study will examine the processes and outcomes of the documented cases and continue to research new ones asking: (1) Which procedures, norms, and customs continue to bring about decisions that satisfy communities; which do not and why? (2) How are norms and values updated during public forums to address new realities, such as radically altered patterns of communication with mobile phones, changing norms in sexual relations and marriage, guns in warfare, and land inheritance? (3) How do community members assist in making up for harm done and bringing wrong-doers back into the fold as productive citizens? (4) What are rates of recidivism for different infractions? (5) Why are customary courts often favored over formal courts? (6) How are the relations between the formal western-based courts and customary village courts altered in response to changing conditions and how are mismatches resolved to avoid legal dissonance? Methods proposed include the collection of court case data, follow-up data collection on compensation payment, follow-up interviews with participants in key cases (to include customary court officials, those involved in cases, and those that observed proceedings or contributed to restitution payments), follow-up data collection on recidivism, and finally workshops and focus groups with magistrates and customary court officials to get their perspective on changes in the customary court system over time. The PI plans to use content analysis methodologies to identify shifting norms around reproduction, production, and social support; as well as changing articulation with the formal courts. The research will contribute to better understanding of the articulation between local, regional, and national systems. The adaptive potential of restorative justice systems is of wider interest to anthropologists and other scholars of legal systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.