Elements of apology letters in restorative justice Exploratory study with Restorative Justice professionals on elements of apology letters from a perpetrator to the victim of his crime

This exploratory study presents the results of a research on elements of apology letters from an offender to the victim of crime, according to the opinions of 11 experts in restorative justice in Western Andalusia (Spain). A qualitative design based on Grounded Theory and Family Categorization has been carried out. The results show that the apology letter is a way of offering a narrative explanation of the crime by offender's perspective. A systematization of the elements in theoretical categories is proposed (Content, Formal Aspects, Emotional Component and Future). Likewise, some emergent elements of apology letter related to its writing, the language used and the possibility of offering an offender's explanation in a broader vital narrative are highlighted. It underlines the need to research the use of narrative tools in restorative justice.