Justice Beyond Legal Punishment

Sor Juana critiqued harsh institutional punishment and advocated for understanding and education over coercion. Traditional policing treats justice as punishment administered by the state; Sor Juana-informed approaches recognize that justice requires accountability, restoration, and healing. In multicultural contexts, communities may prefer restorative practices—bringing together harmed and harming parties, addressing root causes, repairing relationships—over incarceration. Police can facilitate these approaches rather than automatically escalating to criminal prosecution. This requires: training officers in restorative justice principles, partnering with community-based programs, recognizing that some harms (particularly historical injustices) require truth-telling and systemic change, not individual punishment. For officers themselves, it means addressing misconduct through accountability and growth rather than only discipline. When justice expands beyond punishment to include restoration, communities experience greater safety and genuine accountability, reducing the need for enforcement while building trust.