Abstract
“Justice” has evolved over time in a way that prioritizes system-led structures of accountability through punishment. To re-center the voices of those impacted, the current study explores perceptions of justice from 16 college students who experienced parental incarceration and/or substance use. Researchers recruited college students for in-depth qualitative interviews and performed thematic analyses using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Four overarching themes were extracted: justice is difficult to define but should reflect proportionate consequences; the current legal system is ineffective, dehumanizing, and extensively harmful; there is bias and a lack of trust in the legal system; and alternatives to punishment towards a “justice” system, such as treatment and preventative services. Participant responses still relied on a formal legal system, rather than community, to deliver consequences and/or treatment. We discuss how participant responses align with restorative, rehabilitative, and transformative justice.