POLICE MEDIATION IN LITHUANIA: EXPERIENCE OF WORK WITH YOUTH OFFENDERS

POLICE MEDIATION IN LITHUANIA: EXPERIENCE OF WORK WITH YOUTH OFFENDERS

Judita Venckevičienė, Rokas Uscila

26th Baltic Criminological Seminar “Social Inclusion: Preventive Measures of Children’s Anti-social Behaviour”

2013 November 27-28

Judita Venckevičienė, Rokas Uscila

26th Baltic Criminological Seminar “Social Inclusion: Preventive Measures of Children’s Anti-social Behaviour”

2013 November 27-28

• 2010• Lithuanian Police departmentin cooperation with partners:• Centre for Crime Prevention in Lithuania• Country Police in Blekinge (Sweden)• Municipality of Karlskrona (Sweden)

Beginning

"Strengthening of police capabilities aimed at prevention of juvenile

delinquency through the implementation of the restorative justice

model"

To train police officers in particular regions to apply Restorative Justice methods in theirs

work.

The aim of project

Why police mediation?

• juvenile offences (minor, first time);• public and community disputes; • domestic situation not involving violence; • interpersonal disputes in which there are no

grounds to arrest;• disputes over property;

• etc.

What kind of disputes?

Methods:• Police officers poll during the last training-

supervision session. • October-December of 2012.• Standardize questionnaire:

– close, – open, – close/open questions.

• In survey participated 148 police officers.

Survey

Results

Distribution of solved conflicts by mediation

Distribution of solved conflicts by mediation

Distribution of solved conflicts by mediation

Possible benefits of mediation in Lithuanian police activities

• Victim-offender mediation is already applicable in the police activity;

• In police officers view mediation could increase people confidence in police and mediation will be better way for quick conflict resolution for both side of dispute;

• However currently mediation is not legitimised: – Lack of mediation in legal framework (no legal regulation),– There is no mediation in police officers job descriptions, not

defined in evaluation of current workload.

Conclusion

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

judita.venckeviciene@teise.org