A Study on Nigerian and U.S. College Students’ Views on Justice Issues

Abstract

People’s views on justice issues are often a function of their socialization, the cultural norms, values and beliefs of their society. Views on justice often vary between nations. The current study explored and compared the views of Nigerian and U.S. college students regarding justice views. Nigeria is a developing nation which has a long history of informal restorative justice practices, but also uses formal government justice agencies to deal with crime. The U.S. is a developed nation which often relies on a formal state administered punitive crime control approach. Based on multivariate analyses, there were significant differences in views between Nigerian and U.S. college students in views on shaming for control crime, seeking revenge, showing mercy, and partnerships between the police and the community.