Further steps in the international working group at the EUROPEAN FORUM FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE “Restorative Justice and Deprivation of Liberty” for the conference in Poznań 2026
- Daniela Hirt
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
At a time when issues surrounding imprisonment and rehabilitation are receiving increasing public attention, it is more important than ever to further develop restorative justice (RJ) within the context of the penal system. This is precisely the aim of the working group of the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ) , in which I participate with a focus on "Restorative Justice and Imprisonment." This group brings together experts from across Europe who share one thing: the conviction that even within the system of imprisonment, there can be room for humanity, encounter, and development if we understand restorative justice (RJ) not only as a method but also as an attitude.
In our working group, we are intensively examining the role that Restorative Justice (RJ) services can play in the prison and institutional context.
Why RJ is important
Prisons are places where conflict is omnipresent: between inmates, between staff and inmates, or in contact with relatives and victims. This is precisely why they hold great potential for RJ Circle Dialogues: the aim is to create spaces for dialogue and listening, to promote responsibility, and to make the victims' perspective visible. For many inmates, it is the first time they have ever been confronted with the viewpoint of those affected.
Challenges and resistance
At the same time, implementing rehabilitation programs in prisons is fraught with obstacles: mistrust and resistance from authorities, staff, and victim support organizations, fears of revictimization, and structural barriers. A crucial step is building trust, both with inmates and with staff and institutions.
Current work steps:
The working group "Restorative Justice on Incarceration" is planning a dialogue session at the 2026 conference in Poznań on the topic of restorative justice in the prison system and its potential for systemic change. There is agreement to include diverse European experiences and to present both successes and challenges. Group members will take on specific organizational tasks. A workshop approach to user experience was discussed; the group opted for a simplified methodology with a single persona representing the victim's journey, supplemented by potential staff perspectives. Interactive posters will also be created to collect participants' experiences and insights and to promote networking. To avoid redundancies, all contributions for the dialogue session, skills lab, and posters will be submitted in a coordinated manner. I am very much looking forward to the conference from June 11-13, 2026 | European Forum for Restorative Justice and to the further preparations.
For further understanding, here are my summaries from the training course in Leuven in February 2025 on the above topic:
