Fairness and Justice Principles

Nature of Justice and Fairness

• Parties concerned with fairness strive to establish comfortable procedures that resemble rules of a game, ensuring people receive their "fair share" of benefits and burdens.
• Principles of justice and fairness can be thought of as rules of "fair play" for social justice issues.

Types of Justice

• Distributive justice determines what counts as a "fair share" of particular goods.
• Retributive justice shapes our response to activity that violates a society's rules of "fair play".
• Restorative justice considers the voices and representation of those directly affected by an offense in the decision-making process.

Importance of Justice and Fairness

• Justice requires both fair rules and people playing by the rules.
• People want institutions to treat them fairly and operate according to fair rules.
• Fair treatment and fair rules are often expressed by a variety of justice principles.

Broader and Narrower Sense of Justice

• Justice in its broader sense is action in accordance with the requirements of some law, and can be seen as transcendental.
• Justice in its narrower sense is fairness, paying due regard to the proper interests, property, and safety of one's fellows.

Restorative Justice

• Central premise of restorative justice is that those directly affected by an offense should have a voice and representation in the decision-making process.
• Restorative justice aims to empower and give opportunities to disadvantaged members of a group or society.

Procedural Fairness

• People's judgments of procedural fairness result from perceptions of being treated "honestly, openly, and with consideration".
• Authorities must show concern for people's well-being and needs to ensure procedural fairness.

Principles of Justice

• Principles of justice point to ideas of fair treatment and "fair play" that should govern all modes of exchange and interaction in a society.
• They serve as guidelines for carrying out justice and promoting the common good.