Michael Vick, and NFL quarterback, was arrested for dog fighting in 2007 – during the prime of his career with the Atlanta Falcons. He was sentenced to nearly two years in prison for his crimes, and served out that time (with some additional time due to breaking the conditions of his parole). In 2010 Vick was reinstated into the league as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, and performed well, earning the 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. He has since joined the New York Jets.
Here is a video of Vick, in an interview with Dan Le Batard, discussing his experience of his punishment:
Vick’s arrest and crimes have served as a hot button issue, with many fans seemingly unable to forgive him for what he has done. Even with his engagement with the Humane Society, a great number of fans still believe that he has not sincerely ‘changed,’ or that he still has not paid fully for what he has done. This debate brings into question the idea of restorative justice – that is, a form of justice which focuses on the victim and offender, and which aims to promote forgiveness, reconciliation, and a sense of responsibility by the offender. This is in contrast to the perhaps more traditional form of punishment, retributive justice, which is what we see as the more common way of dealing with crime and wrongdoing in the US legal system.
Vick has definitely served his retributive justice requirements – his time in prison accounts for the punishment required of him from this mindset. What is not so clear, though, is whether Vick and the fans of the NFL have effectively ‘restored’ justice. In order for this to happen, Vick must take responsibility for his crimes, and a genuine level of forgiveness must occur. Bill Simmons wrote an article touching on this process after Vick had been reinstated in the NFL. Additionally, Eliyahu Fink wrote an article commenting on Simmons’ article, as well as going into further depth about the role and function of restorative justice.
Questions to ask:
- Are there acts which are unforgivable?
- To what degree should fans continue to cheer for a player who has committed a crime?
- What must a player do to restore justice with those he/she has offended/hurt/etc.?
- What responsibilities or duties do organizations have to ‘give players a second chance?’