The restorative process in restorative justice programs for juvenile offense situations

Context and relevance. Restorative justice programs for juvenile offenses demonstrate a fundamental difference from conventional responses to unlawful behavior, which accounts for their effectiveness. Recognition on this fact and the expansion of the restorative approach in the field of childhood has led to the widespread use of this term, while simultaneously blurring and distorting perceptions of the essence of the restorative paradigm in dealing with criminal and conflict situations. As a criterion of classifying practices under this paradigm, the concept of “restorative process” is proposed, the main characteristic of which is the specific transformations occurring in participants and in the relationships between them. Objective. To construct a working concept of the “restorative process in restorative justice programs” and to identify the conditions, forms of manifestation, and characteristics of the restorative process in restorative justice programs for juvenile offenses. Key research question: what constitutes the restorative process in restorative justice programs for juvenile offenses and what are its forms of manifestation? Methods and materials of empirical research. The study employed qualitative methods of data collection and analysis: an analysis of seven case studies of restorative programs for juvenile offenses and semi-structured interviews with four facilitators of restorative programs. Results. A working concept of the “restorative process” is formulated, its key characteristics, conditions, and obstacles to its implementation are identified, as well the specific features of the restorative process involving minors. Conclusions. Theoretical distinction between the concepts of “restorative program” and “restorative process” and phenomenological description of the restorative process and its characteristics made it possible to identify the transformations occurring in participants during a restorative program and to render visible, at the micro-level, the changes in human relationships that underlie the broader social meaning of restorative justice as a paradigm.

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