RESTORATIVE JUSTICE AND VICTIMIZATION BELIEFS OF PROFESSIONALS IN EUROPE: IMPLICATIONS FOR VICTIM PARTICIPATION

Abstract

Restorative justice has proliferated in Europe and there is evidence suggesting that their practice is falling in debt to the victims of crime. The restorative justice policies seem not to be constituting genuine spaces of participating. Restorative justice policies appear not to be forming genuine opportunities for participation: victims do not have access to information about these services and their implementation is still far from fully considering their needs. This study was two objectives: explore beliefs about the victimization and restorative justice of professionals from restorative justice and victim support programs, and discuss the potential role of these beliefs on barriers to participation. This is a descriptive and exploratory study that used a qualitative and quantitative methodology, and considered a sample of 125 professionals from restorative justice and victim support programs, from 19 different European countries. The results suggest that professionals recognize the benefits that restorative justice can offer to victims of crime, however there are conceptions that appear to limit professionals to give more space to victims in making decisions.