Newsletter Volume 16 Number 2 June 2015
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Newsletter Volume 16 Number 2 July 2015 Editorial Hello everyone, Warm greetings from a rather cold, but sunny Sydney! It is this time of year when I really miss Europe, not for the weather in particular (it seems the temperatures are similar here in our winter) but for the general atmosphere that summer brings. Things seem to calm a little, even though much work is undertaken during this time. I hope that you manage to get some time away with friends and family and that you enjoy this lighter time of year. We are pleased to present our second newsletter for Annemieke about how the findings might be useful to 2015, which considers the application of restorative projects where you are running them. justice (or victim-offender mediation more specifically) Our third contribution is from Christa Pelikan, who to domestic violence. The focus of this edition and the as many of you will know has been active in this area contributions herein is a result of the policy develop- for many years. She reflects on the current policy de- ments taking place in Poland on this practice and the velopments in relation to the use of VOM in response conference that was held following the EFRJ Annual to domestic or intimate partner violence that are tak- General Meeting there in May. ing place in Austria as well as the distinctions between We begin with an overview of the conference, kindly research findings on the topic from the past and the provided by Beata Czarnecka-Dzialuk. It seems that present. As an advocate for such practice, it is hardly there were a substantial amount of interesting papers surprising that Christa calls for its continued use in that not only reflected on local practice but also raised this area. However, she also draws attention to the some important opportunities and tensions that the positive outcomes that VOM elicits for victims in par- application of restorative justice to domestic violence ticular and also for the internal changes that can occur poses. This has traditionally been an area of heated de- within offenders themselves. Gaining an insight into bate given the sensitivities involved in power dynamics the personal experiences of stakeholders is important and concerns around protection for victims and it is in a debate that is largely purported by those who have clear that they are not going to be resolved overnight. not been affected by the incident in question. Research It is, however, important if practice is going to go ahead that does that is needed! that stringent safeguards are put into place. In our final substantive contribution, Beata This work is being undertaken as part of a wider pro- Czarnecka-Dzialuk, gives us an insight into the applica- ject on ‘Restorative Justice in Domestic Violence Cases’ tion of VOM in relation to domestic violence in Poland. coordinated by Annemieke Wolthuis at the Verwey- We hope that you enjoy reading his article as much as Jonker Institute. In our second contribution, An- we did. Again, let us know your thoughts or get in nemieke has provided us with an overview of this touch if you could present something about yourself research project — an international affair with six and your own countries — we would love to hear from European countries involved — and their findings and you! activities to date. Research such as this is very import- Our final feature has been written by Martin Wright ant in helping us not only to understand international who sits on the Editorial Committee for the Newslet- practice, its diversity and research gaps, but also to ter. Martin reflects on Rosenblatt’s monograph The provide a tangible outcome that will be of use to prac- Role of Community in Restorative Justice which has titioners, victims and offenders on the ground. I hope recently been published by Routledge. I hope that this you enjoy reading about the project as much as we did contribution peaks your interest in this publication and and that you will attend their conference that will be serves to illustrate different ways in which our readers taking place in 2016. I think that you will agree that might contribute to the content of the newsletter. I the insights that arise from the project are valuable and very much appreciate Martin’s contribution — please I hope that you will engage in further discussions with feel free to send us your own! 1 We would be keen to hear your thoughts on any have about the structure or content of the newsletter, developments on restorative justice, theory or prac- any offers to contribute to it in the form of written tice, so please feel free to get in touch with me at articles and information about events would be very [email protected]. I would also encourage you welcomed. to email me with any thoughts or responses that you With very best wishes, might have to the articles that have been written in this edition as we would like to develop a new feature Dr Kerry Clamp which highlights your reactions or feedback on other Chair of the Editorial Committee members’ work. Furthermore, any ideas that you may [email protected] Reflections on ‘Access to Mediation for Victims of Domestic Violence’: An International Conference co-organised by the European Forum for Restorative Justice and the Criminology Department of the Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, May 22, 2015 The purpose of the conference was to create an opportunity to exchange views, both critical and supportive, on suggestions to restrict access to mediation in domestic violence cases, to present experiences from country-specific practice (especially good practice), as well as special safeguards in respect to mediation in this specific area. Forty-eight people attended on the day from twelve European countries (eighteen people from Austria, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Russia, Spain and Portugal and 30 Poles). There were presentations of experts from Austria, ation in domestic violence cases in Poland were dis- Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Poland, fol- cussed from various points of view. Barbara Pawlak lowed by discussion on their topics. The most notable (researcher, mediator and notary), who had examined presentations will be mentioned here so that one can 125 cases of domestic violence referred to mediation get a sense of discussions that arose on the day. The by the Łodz appellate court and interviewed over 400 only exception will be Christa Pelikan, (Institute for magistrates, notaries and mediators from that region, the Sociology of Law and Criminology (IRKS), Wien) presented detailed data on the mediation parties and because she has written about her presentation for this proceedings. She revealed that mediation was initiated Newsletter. by a judge in over 70% of cases and concluded that the effectiveness of mediation depends on the cause of In the first part of the conference, Annemieke the conflict and on the real expectations of the parties. Wolthuis (Verwey-Jonker Institute, Vice-Chair EFRJ) When the mediation agreement is not performed there presented an overview of the European project on res- is a risk of secondary victimisation. The character of torative justice in cases of intimate partner violence settlements reached in VOM determines whether there (IPV). The findings show that international rules and is a real possibility of securing their performance by regulations are not consistent and that national legis- the offender (wishful settlements and quasi civil settle- lation, as well as practice, across the six countries in- ments) and therefore the accepted changes to the crim- cluded in the research project differs. After highlight- inal procedure providing the possibility of issuing a writ ing the key points of critique in terms of applying res- of enforcement may appear to be insufficient from the torative justice in cases of domestic violence from the victims’ perspective. Furthermore, overseeing the me- feminist movement, and opportunities pointed out by diation agreement in practice is often insufficient and restorative justice advocates, common positions from missing — as a rule there is no information about it in both perspectives were identified: empowering and the court files; the interviewed practitioners are even restoring victims and preventing re-offending. Main not clear who is responsible for doing it. needs such as voluntary participation and safety, as- sessing controlling behaviour, proper screening, train- Tomasz Mielczarek (Public Prosecutor, Częstochowa ing of mediators in IPV and related problems were also District) gave a presentation on the legal context of discussed. The need for more guidance was stressed counteracting family violence and its associated stat- and it was noted that work on developing something in istical data. The problem in the selection of domestic this regard was in progress. violence cases was pointed out — in two thirds of cases, During the second session, developments in medi- indictments have not been brought to court (in 2013 2 out of about 58,000 cases there were only 15,500 indict- the Office of the Plenipotentiary for Equal Treatment, ments); the number of judgements for family abuse was as well as NGO’s who help the victims of gender based 14,000 with 12,000 offenders being sentenced, 400 being violence and domestic violence, show that the choice found not guilty and around 1,200 cases being condi- to engage in mediation is not always as informed or tionally cancelled. In the district of Częstochowa there as voluntary as it should be. Often the victims feel have been twenty cases where mediation has been used they can’t refuse to take part in mediation proceedings in the last eight years: sixteen ended with an agreement where they are proposed by the judges because they are (80%) which influenced the final decision on applying viewed as the highest authority and as such should not further sanctions and reduced the tension caused by be contested.