The neuroscience of restorative justice | Dan Riesel. Riesel’s view on the influence of restorative justice on inmates is a rational one that should definitely be put into practice so that our prison systems can finally show some type of reform instead of the same environment that has continued to produce the same outcome in recidivism for years to come.

The neuroscience of restorative justice

The neuroscience of restorative justice | Dan Riesel. Write an argument inspired by the thoughts and ideas presented in the video assigned for this unit. Do not address the speaker or use the video as a source. Review the handout on Argument at the link below for help with constructing your draft. Your final essay will be at least 1250 words, will use at least five sources (and no more than ten), and should be documented using MLA format. (See the Purdue Owl link below). Video Link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzJYY2p0QIc Review I like that he broke his discussion down into three parts.

The neuroscience of restorative justice

The beginning covered the history of a person (their childhood and how they came to perceive the world in their everyday environment– which is very important); In the middle he provided an example of one of the inmates he did research on (a psychopath names Joe) examining how exactly his brain works and why he is considered a psychopath; in the end, Riesel was able to find the answer to his question (that being that adults can change) but it is all just a matter of perspective and environment.

It was easy for me to compare this Ted Talk to the other two because all 3 involved an inmate who went to or was currently in prison, and in order to understand the concept of adaptation to the outside world and rehabilitation.

The neuroscience of restorative justice

Each had to go through a thought process that challenged them to alter the way that they think about themselves and past decisions they’ve made. Although environment and childhood play a key role in molding the brain of an individual, it’s not to say that this is something that is permanent or cannot be improved. Reise mentions that “The early years are crucial; You will find that the mind of a four year old is not naive in the slightest.” It should also be noted that all the prisoners that Reis studied “were not just the victims of a troubled childhood….

People like Joe have a deficit in a brain area called the amygdala (the key to the experience of empathy).”

The neuroscience of restorative justice

This shows us how important the upbringing of a person is, and the environment they live in. For example, Shaka Senghor lived in a dangerous neighborhood where he got shot 3 times. He was sent to the hospital, patched up, and sent back to that exact same neighborhood where he ended up in a situation where he shot someone else, killing them and going to prison for 20 years. If Senghor had the opportunity to change his environment, there’s a big possibility that his life wouldn’t have had the outcome that it did.

But just like Riesel suggested in his TED Talk, Senghor was able to find a way to rehabilitate his mind while in prison, and this influenced the person he was when he got out.

The neuroscience of restorative justice

In order for adults to change, “their mindset of the subject matter needs to innovate; they need to improve their environment which will result in healthy, sociable behavior; and lastly, outside members in our society need to see the subject as redeemable” for them to see themselves as such so a transformation can begin to take place. Reisel’s view on the influence of restorative justice on inmates is a rational one that should definitely be put into practice so that our prison systems can finally show some type of reform instead of the same environment that has continued to produce the same outcome in recidivism for years to come.

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