Institute of Conflict Resolution

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1. Promotion of Restorative Justice in Bulgaria (own project)

Towards the  end of  the  twentieth century a new type of conflict  resolution has emerged rivalling  the  traditional approach of  legal settlement. Consensual models of conflict resolution are being propagated as alternatives to  the  classical pattern of confrontation. This  development has been variously described  as community justice, restorative justice, informal justice etc.
Restorative justice is  regarded as an alternative model  of criminal justice. It is  defined  as a unique response to  crime to be distinguished  from both  the  rehabilitative and retributive  responses. The  emphasis  in this  model is on  reparation and  prevention  rather than on the infliction of punishment. The  model offers victims more  control over the decision-making mechanism  than traditional  procedure. It  mobilizes the local community in addressing  crime  problems.
 Restorative justice  is  a new idea for the Bulgarian experience. The  numerous advantages of  this form of justice are  unknown  for the  general  public as well as  for  the  lawyers.
 At  the  same time the  crisis in  the  functioning  of the  criminal justice system  in Bulgaria  is  generally recognized. Particularly  deep is  the dissatisfaction of the  victims who  are largely neglected. The extremely long, tortuous  trial often causes  secondary victimization.

 The Institute considers that restorative justice is the  relevant  response  to  the  needs of society  and Bulgarian criminal justice system. The  information  campaign, educational  program, workshop etc. to  be launched in the  framework of  this  project aim to  increase public awareness of the  benefits of restorative justice. The  training in law faculties in  the  principles of restorative justice will  create  an environment  that  is  friendly  and  favorable to this new idea. Special  attention will be  paid to  dissemination of this  knowledge among   policy-makers, legal  practitioners,  police officers, social workers  and members of  NGOs. The  study visits to countries  with long-standing  traditions in  restorative justice will help in the training of professionals ready to  implement  restorative justice  principles  in  practice. The  research work to be undertaken has as an objective further  development of the restorative justice theory  and  practice and formulation of   proposals  de  lege ferenda. Our  long-term goal is to promote restorative justice  to  be established as a  form of criminal  justice process.

2. COST Action A 21- Restorative Justice Developments in Europe ( 2002 - 2006 )

In partnership with researchers  from  20  European countries

Coordinator: Prof. Ivo  Aertsen, Catholic University  of Leuven,  Belgium

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, the main objective of the Action is to enhance and to deepen knowledge on theoretical and practical aspects of restorative justice in Europe, with a view to supporting implementation strategies in a scientifically sound way.
In the technical annex, it is defined that, in order to reach this general objective, a network of researchers will be created to:
1. exchange and discuss research needs, methods and results;
2. co-ordinate research projects in the respective countries as far as possible and desirable;
3. stimulate or support further (common) research projects.

More precisely, the Action is focused on analysing:
- the process and the effects of victim-offender mediation and conferencing;
- national recording systems;
- national legislation in relation to victim-offender mediation;
- the relation between criminal justice and restorative justice practices and agencies;
- training models and the experience of training legal professionals in the restorative justice area;
- new restorative justice models and applications;
- theoretical concepts, approaches and frameworks on restorative justice.
Working Groups:
Working Group 1: Evaluative research on restorative justice practices
Co-ordinator: Ida Hylde, Norway
Working Group 2: Policy oriented research on restorative justice developments 
Co-ordinator: Michael  Kilchling, Germany
W
orking Group 3: Theoretical Research – Co-ordinator: Robert Mackay, UK

Working  Group 4: Restorative Justice, Violent Conflicts and Mass Victimization 

 Co-ordinator: Jana Arsovska

 Meetings held:

2003: Lisbon, Portugal   and  Freiburg, Germany

2004: Kristiansand, Norway,  Amsterdam, The  Netherlands and   Budapest, Hungary

2005: Ljubljana, Slovenia  and Maastricht, The  Netherlands

2006: Tel Aviv, Israel,   Warsaw, Poland, Final conference

 

 

Workshops  held:

Institutionalization of  Restorative Justice in a Changing  Society, Leuven, Belgium, 2004

Structuring the  Landscape  of Restorative Justice Theory,  Maastricht,  The  Netherlands, 2005

Joint  Data  Recording  Systems, Bremen, Germany, 2005

Restorative Justice and the Contact Hypothesis in managing ethno-national conflicts - Tel Aviv, Israel, 2006

Publications: under preparation

Web-site: www.euforumrj.org/projects.COST.htm

Final COST Action A21 Conference  “Restorative  Justice Research  in  Europe: Outcomes  and  Challenges ”

22-24 November 2006, Warsaw

 

3.  COMENIUS 2 - Violence in Schools Training Action –VISTA (2004-2006)

In  partnership with  the University  of  Surrey-UK, Catholic University  of Leuven,  Belgium, Trinity  College-Dublin, Ireland, University of  Cordoba, Spain and University of  Stavanger, Norway

Coordinator-  Prof. Helen Cowie, University  of  Surrey

 

The main aims of this project are to:

 · develop a European training package on the topic of violence prevention in the whole school context;

 · disseminate good practice through training at European, national and local levels;

 · provide active support to key police-makers and to schools.

 

Meetings  held:

 

2004: Guildford-UK, Dublin- Ireland  and  Cordoba - Spain

2005: Sofia- Bulgaria and   Stavanger - Norway (pilot training)

2006-Leuven- Belgium,    Cumberland  Lodge, UK, Final  meeting

 

Expected outcomes: e-manual, to be translated in  Bulgarian, and  a  hard-copy book

Website: www.vista-europe.org

VISTA team

See our photo gallery
 

4. AGIS - Meeting the Challenges of Introducing Victim - Offender Mediation in Central and Eastern Europe (2004-2005)

In  partnership  with organisations from  15  European countries 

General objective of the project:

· to effectively support the development of restorative justice in Central and Eastern European countries;

Specific objectives:

· to study, at the conceptual and practical levels, the possibilities for implementing victim-offender mediation in Central and Eastern European countries given their specific political, economical, cultural and legal background;

· to discuss the ways in which the experience in Western European countries can inform and support the development of victim-offender mediation in Central and Eastern European countries;

· to prepare strategies for the promotion of the development of an integrated policy concerning victim-offender mediation in Central and Eastern European countries.

Meetings held:

2004: Vienna, Austria  and Budapest, Hungary

2005: Chisinau, Moldova and Sofia, Bulgaria

The  project  ended successfully  and its  main   objectives  were  achieved. The  Final  Report  Conclusions and Recommendations were  sent  to  the  European Commission  and to  the  relevant  Ministries  of Justice.

See our photo gallery

 

5.Tools In Network: An E-Net Approach to Share Mediation Competences /TIN Project/ 2007-2009

 

 

The need to develop and improve competences of practitioners and experts working in the field of juvenile justice both in public institutions (local social services) and private-non profit making organizations is the basis of such a proposal. The key educational role of victim–offender mediation in the juvenile justice system is underlined by international organization working in the field of children’s rights and juvenile justice. Indeed the Council of Europe recognizes the need to enhance active personal participation of the victim in criminal proceedings and to promote more constructive and less repressive criminal justice outcomes. But in doing so the Council of Europe underlines that mediation requires specific skills and calls for codes of practice and accredited training.  The project aims at supporting improvement in quality in vocational education for practitioners and experts working in the field of juvenile justice in public institutions (local social services), private and non profit making organizations by developing competences and skills by means of the on-line training programmes on Restorative Justice the Italian Department of Juvenile Justice has developed in its everyday work. The project addresses specific needs of practitioners and expert working with minors in conflict with law meaning contribute to the development of common strategies and approaches in victim – offender mediation. Moreover the project takes into account the needs of practitioners asking for on line training programmes in order to balance work and life long learning. 

Partners: Institutions and  organizations from Italy, Germany, Spain, Latvia,  Czech  Republic  and  Bulgaria.

 

The  first  transnational  meeting of TIN  project was held   with  great  success in  Sofia on 3rd  and  4th   March 2008.

 

See  our  photo gallery

 


 

Phone/Fax: ++359 2 9758032

         e-mail: icr@icr-bg.org