Public Academy lecture 'Restorative justice or mediation' 15 November 2018

Punish or restore? That is the question in many cases where suspect and victim live together, in the same house or on the same street. It often concerns a dispute between neighbors, friends or relatives. Is criminal law the solution here or will it only make the situation worse?

Theorine Scholte, prosecutor at the Public Prosecution Service of the Northern Netherlands, talks about restorative justice. What does restorative justice entail and who is eligible? She also discusses the reciprocity of the parties, sometimes you are the victim and other times perhaps the suspect. Using practical examples, she explains how restorative justice works.

Apart from restorative justice, mediation can be used to resolve a conflict provided that both parties are willing to negotiate with each other. An advantage of mediation is that a conflict can be resolved faster and cheaper. A judge examines each case to determine whether it is suitable for mediation or whether a ruling or settlement should be made. Erda Koops and Johanna Omta, mediation officers and both working at the Northern Netherlands District Court, explain how this process works.

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The Public Academy for Jurisprudence

Through lectures aimed at the general public, the Publieksacademie voor de Rechtspraak (Public Academy for Jurisprudence) seeks to satisfy this immense interest. Judges, public prosecutors, professors and other experts discuss legal topics that affect many people. The lectures are suitable for a wide audience and do not require knowledge of the law.

The Public Academy is a collaboration between the Court of the Northern Netherlands, the Faculty of Law at the University of Groningen, the Northern Netherlands Public Prosecution Service and the Dagblad van het Noorden newspaper.