At the Restorative Czech Republic conference, the handbook for restorative practice – World of Law was christened

Together from theory to practice wasabout the main motto of the Czech Restorative conference that took place March 20 in the premises of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic in the center of Prague and over which Mgr. Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, Government Commissioner for Human Rights. As part of the meeting, among other things, the Handbook was christenedand for Czech restorative practice. Two days later she was atthe more than two-year operation of the Restorative Platform has ended.

The conference included a panel discussion on the future of restorative justice. The main topics were Standardization of training and support of RJ professionals, Legislative anchoring of the basic principle of restorative justice and Support of restorative justice among professionals and the public.

Tomáš Durdík, chairman of the Supreme Court’s criminal panel, Gabriela Kabátová from the International Prison Community, Petra Masopust Šachová, chairwoman of the Institute for Restorative Justice, Gabriela Slováková from the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic, as well as representatives of the Probation and Mediation services.

Among the guests of the conference were also victims and survivors whose life stories were fundamentally affected by restorative programs or, on the contrary, their absence. They shared it with the event participants.

A baptism was also held as part of the meeting Handbooks for Czech restorative practice. This is the result of a two-year collaboration with more than fifty experts of the Restorative Platform, who in various positions and levels in criminal proceedings actively practice their profession – among others, employees of the Probation and Mediation Service, led by PMS Director Andrea Matoušková and PMS Deputy Director for Probation and Mediation Kateřina Šlesingerová, participated in the preparation of the publication.

The document offers an up-to-date view of the concept of restorative justice in the Czech Republic, which examines the current possibilities for the wider application of restorative principles and specific restorative programs and, in addition to a number of answers, also presents other questions for continuing discussions at the level of the management of relevant organizations and ministries. The handbook was presented by the members of the Restorative Platform across the practice of criminal procedure, who participated in its creation.

The manual is available to those interested HERE.

Editors AD, IRJ
Illustration photo: PMS archive