Transforming justice responses to non-recent institutional abuses

Over the last few decades, the issue of historical institutional abuse (HIA), in particular within the Catholic Church, has resonated in a range of jurisdictions. Despite the recent proliferation of ‘justice’ responses to HIA, including prosecutions and civil litigation, inquiries, redress and apologies, it is a subject which is insufficiently understood in the literature.

Set against the complexities of the legal, historical, cultural, and political realities of addressing non-recent institutional abuses, Transforming Justice Responses to Non-Recent Institutional Abuses critically examines these justice responses across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Bringing together the voices of survivors of HIA with churches and state actors, and their experiences of justice processes, this book reframes discourses on accountability and responsibility, considering how to improve justice processes at the level of praxis and increase engagement between victim/survivors and institutional actors.

Drawing on literature related to restorative, transitional, and transformative justice, the book advances a new approach to justice in HIA cases that bridges the accountability gap between seeking and achieving justice for non-recent institutional abuses while improving outcomes for victims and survivors.