In this short paper, a summarising report is presented on a two years action-research project (2011-2013) co-funded by the European Union on how to conceive and implement peacemaking circles in a European legal and cultural environment. In a first part of the paper, the background and reasons for implementing peacemaking circles are explained, and attention is given to their added value as compared to the models of victim-offender mediation and conferencing. After a short presentation of the action-research set-up in three countries (Belgium, Germany and Hungary), a selective list of critical issues is discussed as they have been experienced during the project: the selection of files and the preparatory phase of a peacemaking circle, the running of the circle meeting and the meaning of some of its operational principles (the role of the circle keeper, the function of rituals, the talking piece, the decision making process, …). Also the involvement of the community at its different levels - from the community of care to the macro-community - is discussed, as well as how the direct conflict parties experience the presence of these communities. A general conclusion is that a model of peacemaking circles can be implemented in a European context effectively, but developing a methodology on how to involve members of the wider community remains a challenge. |
Redactioneel |
Over de aanname ‘herstelrecht alleen geschikt voor jeugd en lichte misdrijven’ |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Auteurs | Annemieke Wolthuis en Bas van Stokkom |
Auteursinformatie |
Artikel |
Peacemaking circlesEen onderzoek naar de mogelijke implementatie in Europa |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Trefwoorden | Peacemaking circles, implementation in Europe, community, inclusion, equality |
Auteurs | Davy Dhondt en Ivo Aertsen |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
Artikel |
Restorative Transformative Learning en PartnergeweldVan ‘herstellen’ naar ‘herstellend transformeren’ |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Trefwoorden | intimate partner violence, restorative justice, transformative learning, meaning perspectives, restorative transformative learning |
Auteurs | Dana Weistra en Anthony Pemberton |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
Many articles have dealt with the question why restorative justice in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV) may or may not be appropriate. Seeing however as a punitive approach towards IPV is rapidly losing popularity as an effective way of dealing with this complex type of violence, as well as the outcomes of a recent study by the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (2014) – where 25% of the Dutch women that were surveyed indicated they had experienced violence by an intimate partner – restorative justice may be a promising alternative after all. |
Artikel |
Prevalentie van ernstige misdrijven bij slachtoffer-daderbemiddeling |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Trefwoorden | seriousness, offenses, mediation, range of cases, outcome |
Auteurs | Wendy Schreurs, Sven Zebel en Elze Ufkes |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
A debate exists in the literature about the question whether (different forms of) mediated contact between victims and offenders occur and are appropriate only after minor offenses. This contribution therefore examines whether a relationship exists between the seriousness of offenses and the degree to which in practice cases result in mediated contact, in the Dutch context. More specifically, we report the first findings of a study aimed to (a) examine the seriousness of cases that were registered at the foundation Slachtoffer in Beeld (Victim in Focus; responsible for the execution of mediated contacts between victims and offenders in the Netherlands), and (b) compare the seriousness of cases at this foundation that resulted in different forms of mediated contact (including cases in which no contact emerged). To this end, we sampled 200 cases from the data system of Victim in Focus in a random manner; consequently, the seriousness of each of these cases was coded. The mean duration of incarceration sentenced for specific offenses in the Netherlands was used as an (as objective as possible) indication of the seriousness of the offenses in these cases. The results indicated that the cases registered at Victim in Focus do not consist exclusively of minor offenses. A substantial part consists of more serious offenses, especially when this is compared to the prevalence of all (minor and serious) offenses in the Netherlands. In addition, we observed no relationship between the seriousness of cases and the form of mediated contact (or no contact) that emerged at Victim in Focus; mediated contact arose to the same degree for serious compared to minor offenses. The implications of these results for the debate mentioned above are discussed, taking into account the manner in which victim-offender mediation is organized in the Netherlands. |
Casus |
Naar een beschaafder delictenrechtEen impressie van het seminar ‘Civilising Criminal Justice’, 14 oktober 2014, Rotterdam, Nederland |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Auteurs | Suzanne Jansen |
Auteursinformatie |
Diversen |
Jaaroverzicht 2014 |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Boekbespreking |
#Aandachtstrut in Disneyworld |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Auteurs | Janny Dierx |
Auteursinformatie |
Column |
Minderjarig en verdacht, tijd voor herstel |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 4 2014 |
Auteurs | Maartje Berger |
Auteursinformatie |
Praktijk |
Herstelrecht bij (seksueel) misbruikJeugdzorginstellingen, pleeggezinnen en de rooms-katholieke kerk |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Auteurs | Saskia Kinket en Roebijn Schijf |
Auteursinformatie |
Column |
Herstelbemiddeling aan de voordeur |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Auteurs | Bente Thé |
Auteursinformatie |
Casus |
Bewogen dagen in BelfastImpressies van het achtste congres van het European Forum for Restorative Justice |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Auteurs | Annemieke Wolthuis |
Auteursinformatie |
Artikel |
Herstelgerichte praktijken, berouw en vergeving in het islamitische strafrecht |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Trefwoorden | Islamic criminal law, forgiveness, Remorse |
Auteurs | Jacques Claessen |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
Since Islam stands for a total way of life, it also includes a vision on crime and punishment. According to several (Muslim)scholars the Sharia contains not so much a message of revenge and retribution but rather one of compassion, forgiveness and mercy. Much depends on which sections of the holy sources of Islam are read and subsequently how these sections are interpreted. However, fact is that – in the context of quite a number of criminal offences – Islamic criminal law gives room for restorative practices. These practices prove to be more beneficial with regard to the realization of remorse, forgiveness and reconciliation than the regular criminal process. Since restorative practices form an intrinsic part of (pre-modern) Islamic criminal law and since more and more initiatives are being developed nowadays to incorporate such practices in (modern) Western criminal law, it is of fundamental importance to take note of Islamic criminal law. Before focusing in this contribution on the role of restorative practices, remorse and forgiveness in Islamic criminal law, first the position of victims in criminal law under influence of Islam and Christianity will be discussed on the basis of the ideas of the Dutch victimologist Jan van Dijk. Furthermore, attention will be paid to the decline of mysticism in Islam and to the possible consequences and risks thereof – also for the role of restorative practices, remorse and forgiveness in Islamic criminal law. |
Artikel |
Alles naar wens? Observaties naar aanleiding van het conceptwetsvoorstel ter aanvulling van het spreekrecht voor slachtoffers en nabestaanden in het strafproces |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Trefwoorden | victims, survivor, speak |
Auteurs | Renée Kool |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
Since 2005, Dutch victims of serious crime have the right to make an oral statement in court (‘spreekrecht’). In the past decade, the Dutch criminal justice system has accommodated this right to make an oral statement with regard to the consequences of the crime; no major problems have occurred. Indeed, only a minority of the victims consumes this right (ca. 230 cases annually), the majority prefers to lodge a written statement. Nevertheless, the Dutch legislature is of the opinion that the right to make an oral statement should be extended and has lodged a draft-proposal recently. The aim is to provide crime victims a right to put forward an advice to the judge at the trial session, such an advice relating to the full scheme of judicial decision-making (truth, legal qualification, punishment). Such a provision resembles a Victim Statement of Opinion, used in the American scheme of justice, and even exceeds this. The draft has been met with criticism, only the Dutch Victim Support is in favor. One of the objections heard is the one dimensional focus underlying the draft: by focusing on a specific group of victims – those who have suffered from serious crimes – the legislature neglects the heterogeneous nature of victims’ needs. |
Redactioneel |
Tussen adviesrecht voor slachtoffers en herstelgerichte praktijken in het islamitische strafrecht |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Auteurs | Jacques Claessen en Bas van Stokkom |
Auteursinformatie |
Artikel |
Herstelbemiddeling als sociaal werk-praktijkBemiddelaars in Vlaanderen aan het woord |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 3 2014 |
Trefwoorden | Social work practices |
Auteurs | Lieve Bradt en Maria Bouverne-De Bie |
SamenvattingAuteursinformatie |
Restorative justice as well as restorative justice practices have mainly been researched from judicial and criminologist perspectives, whereas social work has been remarkably silent in the restorative justice debate. As a consequence, the role of social work in the restorative justice field remains largely unexplored. In this article we report the findings of two focus groups conducted with mediators working in juvenile and adult mediation practices in Flanders to gain more insight into how mediators perceive their role and to analyse to what extent they refer to the individual and structural dimension of victim-offender mediation. |
Praktijk |
Media for Social Change en genocide: de kracht van radio in Rwanda |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 2 2014 |
Auteurs | Anneke van Hoek |
Auteursinformatie |
Praktijk |
Zelfverhoor |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 2 2014 |
Auteurs | Fiet van Beek |
Auteursinformatie |
Praktijk |
Media for Social Change en genocide: de kracht van radio in Rwanda |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 2 2014 |
Auteurs | Anneke van Hoek |
Auteursinformatie |
Column |
Art. 4 social change – de kunst van het zichtbaar maken van herstelervaringen en complexe verandering |
Tijdschrift | Tijdschrift voor Herstelrecht, Aflevering 2 2014 |
Auteurs | Gert-Jan Slump |
Auteursinformatie |