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Youth Justice Convenors – delivering a community based process within the framework of a legislated RJ scheme

Wengert, Michaela
June 4, 2015

Source: (2008) Report of the fifth conference of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, Building restorative justice in Europe: cooperation between the public, policy makers, practitioners and researchers, Verona.

The most significant and unique feature of NSW [New South Wales] youth justice conferencing is the partnership model between government and individuals in the community to deliver a justice process. In the NSW model, the government retains responsibility for the administration, and quality assurance, of each restorative justice process while individual members of the community facilitate the face-to-face delivery of the process. The convenors are not volunteers but are
engaged on a fee-for-service basis as independent contractors. Apart from a letter
introducing the convenor, in most cases the conference participants have no contact with public servants during the preparation and facilitation of the conference. Philosophically, the symbolism of an individual member of the community stepping up and facilitating a legislated justice process resolving the conflict arising from an offence committed between two members of that community is an intrinsic element of the NSW youth justice conference model. (excerpt)

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AbstractEuropeJuvenileRJ in SchoolsRJ OfficeStatutes and Legislation
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