My RJ work in the form of circle dialogues in prisons
A few words about this and beyond:
Restorative Justice – A Peacemaking Approach to Dealing with Conflicts and Crime
At a time when calls for harsher punishments and retribution are increasingly frequent, a crucial question arises: How do we deal with conflicts, violence and injustice in a meaningful and sustainable way ? Behind every crime there are human tragedies - injured people, broken relationships and social effects that go far beyond the fate of the individual. Crimes leave deep scars: those affected experience fear, feelings of guilt and often a loss of meaning and security. Those responsible for the crime, in turn, vacillate between defense, guilt and repression. At the same time, the community and the social network of all those involved are also affected. All of these consequences of the crime are very noticeable when the participants enter into a joint dialogue in prison based on my concept of "Affected Persons' Work in the Penal System (BoAS)".
This is exactly where Restorative Justice (RJ) comes in. Instead of focusing on punishment, it looks for ways to meet people, make amends and take responsibility. RJ does not view crimes and conflicts in isolation, but rather as relationship breaks that can be repaired. The goal is not only to alleviate the consequences for those involved, but also to strengthen society as a whole.
What distinguishes restorative justice from traditional criminal justice?
Classic criminal justice follows a retributive model: an injustice is answered with punishment. Restorative justice, on the other hand, goes beyond this principle (see above) by involving all those involved - those affected by the crime, those responsible for the crime, the social network and the community - in the solution process.
While Criminal Justice determines guilt and imposes punishment, RJ procedures ask three central questions:
Who was injured and how?
What do those affected need in order to be able to deal with the consequences of the crime/the conflict?
Who can take responsibility and how?
The focus is on restoring trust, social harmony and reducing damage – both material and emotional.
How does restorative justice work?
Restorative Justice relies on dialogue and relationship building. Behavior ("guilt") is not understood as a violation of (ethical and moral) laws, but as a breach of interpersonal relationships. The language of RJ is therefore a language of connection and understanding.
The process can take several forms, including:
Mediation procedures/offender-victim mediation/crime mediation , in which victims and those responsible for the crime talk about what happened under professional supervision,
Circle discussions as a community framework in which, in addition to those directly affected, families, community members or representatives of the social network are involved,
Reconciliation and reparation programs that address both material and immaterial damage.
The aim is to find the best possible solution for everyone – be it through compensation, apology, behavioral change or social reintegration.
Restorative Justice as Social Change
Restorative justice is more than an alternative conflict resolution - it is a social attitude. It encourages people to take responsibility, listen actively and not see punishment as the only answer to injustice. Instead of forcing those responsible and those affected into fixed roles, RJ creates space for humanity, healing and community solutions.
While RJ has already been successfully integrated into justice systems in many countries, in Germany it is still mainly known in the context of victim-offender mediation projects. But the possibilities extend far beyond this - from conflict resolution in systems such as authorities and institutions to application in cases of serious crimes.
For me, restorative justice means not looking away, but acting – with responsibility, compassion and a view to a common future.
A book recommendation "Restorative justice" by Rehzi Malzahn for further and detailed content on RJ:
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