The digital alteregolity in the Mending of Harm: Immersive Virtual Environment Technologies in Contemporary Restorative Justice

Abstract

Restorative justice has emerged as an effective and humanizing alternative to traditional punitive models, focusing on repairing harm and rebuilding the social fabric. In this context, we introduce the concept of mending, understood as the interweaving of threads that seeks to reconnect what was torn, even when a full restoration is unattainable. Immersive virtual environment technologies (IVET), such as the metaverse, offer new possibilities to transform and update restorative mediation practices. This article explores how these technologies enable the construction of virtual spaces that are emotionally safe, controlled, and meaningful for the parties involved. We present three original concepts (digital alteregolity, digital avataric histrionism, and representative truthfulness) that help to critically analyze the ethical challenges and opportunities of digital representation through avatars in restorative processes. Drawing from a mixed-methods approach (including qualitative-documentary analysis and a quantitative component based on ordinal data from a broader study) we examine case studies, empirical evidence, and theoretical perspectives that highlight how these technologies affect perceptions of justice, effective participation, and the authenticity of interactions. Finally, we propose normative and ethical principles to ensure that the application of IVET in restorative justice does not erode its foundational values but rather reinforces them.