A three-day training on modeling a restorative justice approach to juveniles was held in Ashgabat from June 12 to 14.
23 participants were invited to the training, including prosecutors, police officers, juvenile affairs inspectors, social work specialists, representatives of schools, the Ashgabat Commission for Minors, and civil society organizations.
The training was organized jointly by the Prosecutor General's Office of Turkmenistan and UNICEF.
Restorative justice gives young people in conflict with the law the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and repair the harm they cause.
Participants learned methodology and tools for implementing referral interventions using an interdisciplinary approach. The sessions included assessing the risks and needs of minors, developing individual plans and following an interdepartmental case management algorithm with the involvement of specialized specialists and psychologists, according to a UNICEF press release.
Representative of the Prosecutor General's Office Allamurad Amandurdyev said:
“The concept of restorative juvenile justice for children in conflict with the law is important because it helps the child recognize the harm caused, accept responsibility for the offense committed, and voluntarily participate in educational and rehabilitative programs without the stigmatizing impact of participation in the formal justice system.
According to the legislation and practice of Turkmenistan, imprisonment of juvenile offenders who have committed a criminal offense is considered a last resort”.
Alexandru Nartea, Deputy Representative of UNICEF in Turkmenistan, praised the efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan to strengthen the use of diversion measures for minors from the formal justice system to restorative justice.
The training laid the foundation for modeling a restorative approach to juvenile justice in one of the regions of Turkmenistan and disseminating this practice throughout the country in accordance with the National Action Plan for the Implementation of Children's Rights for 2023-2028.