Associations Between Restorative Justice Practices, Music Therapy, and Social Reintegration Among Adolescent Offenders in Peru: An Observational Study

Restorative justice within the juvenile justice system has gained increasing attention as an alternative to punitive approaches, particularly in relation to the social reintegration of adolescents in conflict with the law, while complementary interventions such as music therapy are often implemented to support emotional regulation, social skills, and personal development within restorative contexts. This observational, cross-sectional study examined the associations between restorative justice practices, participation in music therapy, and indicators of social reintegration among 317 adolescents involved in restorative programs in Peru. Data were collected using a structured survey composed of ordinal-scale items assessing dimensions of restorative practices, engagement in music therapy, and perceived social reintegration, with the instrument demonstrating satisfactory internal consistency. Statistical associations were analysed using Somers’ d, a non-parametric measure appropriate for assessing ordinal associations in observational research. The results revealed statistically significant and directionally consistent associations between restorative justice practices and social reintegration outcomes, as well as positive associations between participation in music therapy and higher levels of reported social reintegration. These findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s cross-sectional design and non-probability sampling strategy, which limit causal inference and generalizability. While the results are consistent with the potential relevance of integrating music-based activities within restorative contexts, future research employing experimental or longitudinal designs is required to examine causal mechanisms and long-term effects and to further clarify the role of therapeutic interventions in supporting the social reintegration of justice-involved adolescents.