Conference Publication on good restorative justice practices

The „European best practices of restorative justice in the criminal procedure” (JLS/2007/ISEC/FPA/C1/033) EUCPN project delivered by Hungary with financial support from the European Commission has come to an end. The Conference Publication containing articles on the restorative practices presented at the international conference held between 27 and 29 April 2009 in Budapest is available in English language at the Library page of EUCPN. The publication provides a general overview on the legal and practical aspects of restorative processes used in crime prevention and in the criminal procedure in 17 European countries.

ICPC: International Report on Crime Prevention and Community Safety

Providing a large panorama of prevention in the world, the Report 2010 examines in particular the impact of migration, organized crime and substance abuse on community safety. It highlights the importance of good governance frameworks for prevention and safety, training and capacity building for different sectors of the community, and the evaluation of programmes and strategies. It also emphasizes social and education approaches to crime prevention among vulnerable populations.
Publication

International Report on Crime Prevention and Community Safety: Trends and Perspectives

"The first International Report on Crime Prevention and Community Safety: Trends and Perspectives offers decision-makers, practitioners, civil society members and researchers a comprehensive analysis of the situation of crime prevention and community safety in the world." download

International Compendium of Crime Prevention Practices to inspire action across the world

"The Compendium of Crime Prevention Practices to Inspire Action Across the World contains crime prevention and community safety practices gleaned from North America, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Central and Latin America, Oceania and South Asia." download

The philosophy of the restorative justice
(Prof. Katalin Gönczöl)

"These days, seeing and experiencing problems everywhere, almost no one is satisfied with the operation of criminal justice. Researchers, politicians and public opinion makers have traced the problems back to several underlying reasons. Most agree that the institutions which have been established for treating conflicts, like the criminal justice system itself, are exceedingly far removed from the context in which conflicts themselves appear. The state monopoly over criminal justice is not an end in itself but rather a guarantee for those affected by the conflict, and through them, for the whole political and social community, for getting fair justice." download

Restorative justice
(KEREZSI, K. (2006): The public opinion and the experts' views on restorative justice. International Annals of Criminology; International Society for Criminology, ANNEE 2006 (volume 44-1/2) p. 102-124.)

The roots of the restorative justice go back to the ancient cultures while the modern world rediscovered the possibilities behind this idea in the 1970's. The thought of rehabilitation was - in the 1980's - namely defeated by control. That was the time when that period has ended which extracted the moral elements from the punishment and considered it as a purely therapeutical social work. Empirical research indicated that the instruments of the traditional criminal justice do have neglectable effect on recidivism. The appearing victim-assistance movements emphasised however that the criminal jurisdiction neglects the enforcement of the victim's consideration. The linking-up of the above two trends also assisted the strengthening of the restorative justice approach. download

"When I Die, They’ll Send Me Home"
Youth Sentenced to Life without Parole in California

Approximately 227 youth have been sentenced to die in California’s prisons. They have not been sentenced to death: the death penalty was found unconstitutional for juveniles by the United States Supreme Court in 2005. Instead, these young people have been sentenced to prison for the rest of their lives, with no opportunity for parole and no chance for release. Their crimes were committed when they were teenagers, yet they will die in prison. Remarkably, many of the adults who were codefendants and took part in their crimes received lower sentences and will one day be released from prison. download

Developing humane criminal justice systems in democratic societies: An update from Hungary
(Prof. Katalin Gönczöl)

Abstract This article examines the changes and development of penal policy and community sentencing in Hungary. As a new criminal justice system emerges, including the recently reformed probation service in Hungary, this article argues that democratic societies must hold a carefui balance between controlling the behaviour of its citizens, whilst crucially also ensuring their freedom, dignity and human rights. From the position of someone who has been closely involved with these developments and transitions in Hungary, the author questions whether the balance that has been achieved in 'advanced' democracies, such as the USA, given the excessive use of imprisonment and punitive sentencing. She:argues that an alternative model is in the best interests of ali - one that stigmatizes the offence but not the offender. download

European Prison Rules
(Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 11 January 2006 at the 952nd meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

When this recommendation was adopted, and in application of Article 10.2c of the Rules of Procedure for the meetings of the Ministers' Deputies, the Representative of Denmark reserved the right of his government to comply or not with Rule 43, paragraph 2, of the appendix to the recommendation because it is of the opinion that the requirement that prisoners held under solitary confinement be visited by medical staff on a daily basis raises serious ethical concerns regarding the possible role of such staff in effectively pronouncing prisoners fit for further solitary confinement. download

Concept of the parliamentary act on victim support and victim compensation of crimes

The Hungarian government adopted Government Resolution 2152/2005. (VII. 27.) about the "Concept of the parliamentary act on victim support and victim compensation of crimes" on 20th July 2005. It was published in the Official Hungarian Gazette and on the internet on 27th July.download

EUCPN Newsletter June 2007

The EUCPN has published its latest Newsletter. The edition contains actual information from the EUCPN as well as from the Member states. download