Source: (2004) Paper presented at the Third Conference of the European Forum for Victim-Offender Mediation and Restorative Justice, “Restorative Justice in Europe: Where are we heading?”, Budapest, Hungary, 14-16 October. Downloaded 24 May 2005.
A restorative approach in dealing with juveniles coming into conflict with the law seemed to be introduced in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) with the adoption of the law on educational recommendations. This law, included in the Criminal Code of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1998 and in Republika Srpska in 2002, gives judges and prosecutors the possibility of diverting juveniles from formal criminal prosecution in cases of criminal offences punishable by a fine or a prison sentence of up to 3 years. In such cases, if the juvenile admits to having committed the offence and is willing to make amends to the damaged party, the judge or prosecutor, in collaboration with the juvenile’s parents and institutions of social care, can order one of eight educational recommendations, including personal apology to the injured party, compensation of the damage to the injured party, community service and regular school attendance. (excerpt)
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