POLICE MEDIATION IN JUVENILE CASES: ORGANISATIONAL APPROACH

POLICE MEDIATION IN JUVENILE CASES: ORGANISATIONAL APPROACH

EVALDAS VISOCKAS, LAW INSTITUTE OF LITHUANIANovember 27-28, Riga

EVALDAS VISOCKAS, LAW INSTITUTE OF LITHUANIANovember 27-28, Riga

• Police perceptions in society:– Punitive institution– No moral and value alignment with community– Us and THEY

• Police position– Police as service providing institution– Police faces and deals with conflicts every day

Why police mediation?

• Title: Strengthening of Police Capabilities aimed at Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency through the Implementation of the Restorative Justice Model

• Objectives:– Overall objective – test mediation in police;– Create mediation methodology for police– Train police officers– Run piloting mediation cases

Brief information about the project (1)

• Project outputs:– Mediation guide for police officers– 180 police officers trained– Over 50 mediation cases implemented

Brief information about the project (2)

• Police is already doing mediation, but it is not officially reglamented

• No mediation concept in Police• Mediation has almost no legal basis in Lithuania• Impartiality of police mediator• Too many clients. Who is police client?• Police is not ready dealing with serious cases

Faced problems

• No instruction, when to use mediation:• Instructions in which cases mediation can be used and

in which not,• Sequence of actions. What happens if mediation is not

successful?

• No mediation in police officer functions• No mediation in police officer work load

calculation

Organizational Police mediation problems

• Simpler way for solving minor criminal cases • Instant positive change of opinion about police - Police as

problem solving institution• Better evaluation of police work, higher trust in police• Necessary tool for police officer (mediation makes police

officer closer to community)• Increased satisfaction with work

Positive Project findings: Police officers responses

Thank you for your attention !evaldas.visockas@teise.org

More information on websitemediacija.policija.lt