Restorative Justice in juvenile delinquency cases

During this session, representatives of the partner cities of the project (Lisbon,

Nice, Riga, Rotterdam, Stuttgart, and Torino) met with Tim Chapman, chairman of the board of the European Forum for Restorative Justice.

City of Lisbon and City of Turin case-studies: Preventing juvenile delinquency and reoffending

Building upon Turin’s and Lisbon’s case-studies, Chapman discussed the case of young offenders who have served time and been released. He points out that detention can often exacerbate the offenders’ problems, especially if they already had strained relationships with school, parents and the community. 

He suggested that, from a restorative perspective, planning for their release should begin as early as possible. It is essential to hold meetings with these individuals before their release to assess the resources and relationships they require for a successful reintegration into the community. Waiting until they are released is not advisable, as they may revert to their previous habits, old friendships, or substance abuse. The reintegration strategy should encompass: 

•  rejoining school
•  establishing guidelines for their return home
•  facilitating employment or training opportunities
•  connecting them with community members.

Chapman underscored the importance of 1) building relationships in the context of the rehabilitation and reintegration of young individuals 2)  the importance of mentors within the community 3) proactive involvement in community activities such as assisting the elderly and 4) rehabilitation programmes that provide young people with opportunities to demonstrate to their families, community and society that they possess underlying goodness despite their delinquent behaviour. 

Drawing from his experience in Northern Ireland, Chapman likened the process to managing a football team: “You can be the best at football, but you need a team, who will you have in your team? Have a team of concerned adults.”

City of Stuttgart: Preventing radicalisation leading to violent extremism 

Chapman provided insights from his experience in Northern Ireland, although the term ‘radicalisation’ has never been used in this context. In Northern Ireland, restorative justice processes focused on the polarised views of offenders involved in political violence. One of the main aspects of the restorative approach to prevent young people from being radicalised was to involve them in non violent community activities.

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the restorative approach’s objective was to limit as much as possible the number of individuals being radicalised. Tim Chapman shared his experience of working with people who had been active in terrorist organisations, focusing on helping them to disengage. 

This process involves asking ‘restorative’ questions about the impact of their behaviour on victims, families, and communities. These include: do you think of the victims? Do you see how your behaviour affects your family/community? 

Chapman noted that in European countries, there is a strong tradition of mediation, which has proven effective in various contexts. However, he pointed out that mediation may not always be as effective with young people, as it often revolves around resolving issues related to compensation and payments, which may not be applicable when young individuals lack access to funds.

The ‘young conference’ model

Northern Ireland has introduced the ‘young conference’ model, involving both the young offender and the victim. This approach extends to criminal offences associated with radicalisation, where community members, including elders, contribute by discouraging involvement in violence. Chapman also discussed the use of ‘restorative circles’ in schools, particularly for troubled young individuals who may be experiencing bullying or discrimination, highlighting their usefulness in addressing early signs of radicalisation.

City of Riga: Designing and managing safe public spaces

Regarding the application of restorative approaches to public space safety and public order, Tim Chapman emphasised that anti-social behaviours such as smoking and drinking in public spaces are not criminal issues but rather public health concerns. In these cases, the harm is primarily done by individuals to themselves. 

He suggested that the initial step should involve understanding why many young people engage in smoking and drinking in public areas. Drawing from his personal experience, he mentioned that young individuals often adopt these habits to appear ‘cool’ to their peers, which eventually becomes a habit.

Chapman pointed out that many young people in European societies are growing up experiencing stress and anxiety, leading them to use smoking and drinking as coping mechanisms. 

The Youth in Iceland Strategy

Iceland developed a strategy called Youth in Iceland to address a similar issue of young people engaging in public smoking and drinking, which was more of a nuisance than a criminal activity. Through research, Iceland developed an effective strategy that resulted in a significant reduction of such behaviours.

In the late 1980s, 42% of young people in Iceland were engaging in public smoking and drinking, but by 2016, this number had dropped to just 5%. 

The strategy included changes to laws that banned the purchase by young people under a certain age of cigarettes and alcohol, as well as educational efforts targeting parents through schools and encouraging them to spend quality time with their children. 

Additionally, curfews were implemented, with stricter times for teenagers during the winter months (in the winter, after 10pm for under-16, and after midnight for older ones), and increased recreational opportunities were provided, including vouchers for families to engage in activities together, such as going to the swimming pool.

Youth in Europe supports cities in introducing similar strategies. 

City of Rotterdam: Preventing and reducing trafficking and organised crime

Tim Chapman delved into the challenging issue of working with young people who feel hopeless and indifferent, having nothing to lose. As a former probation officer, he acknowledged the difficulties in dealing with such attitudes and emphasised the need for patience and the establishment of strong relationships.

Chapman theorised that young people who feel that way were not always like that but have become despaired usually because of difficult family circumstances. In his practice, he’s seen how they often grow up feeling ashamed of their family’s involvement in criminal activities, drugs, and addiction. These young individuals may have experienced exclusion from social events, leading them to feel like there is something inherently wrong with them. As a result, they may adopt a defence mechanism of shamelessness to shield themselves from further emotional pain and rejection.

He underscored that the most effective approach in such cases is to have responsible, resilient, and compassionate adults who invest time in understanding these youths and their underlying issues. He emphasised the importance of uncovering what truly matters to these young individuals, which may involve identifying their dreams and interests hidden beneath their tough demeanour.

Gender approach to restorative justice

Regarding the application of a gender perspective in restorative justice, Tim Chapman acknowledged that this is a field that has been little explored so far: “It is an area where we could do a lot better, in terms of how to work with girls differently than with boys,” he said, noting that there are increasing numbers of female offenders. 

He noted that restorative justice has up to now been almost exclusively focused on stopping public crime, but has been “blind” to domestic crime and gender-based violence. However, in this type of violence, women’s organisations do not recommend using restorative justice processes, because they risk empowering the men, rather than the women. He recognised that it is an important area on which restorative justice should focus, i.e., “misogyny, the rape culture, trauma, the inbalance of power, coercive control”. A lot of women could benefit from it, concluded Chapman.