Georgia | Georgian Legal Socialization Project | 17 Sep 2012

On September 18, 2012, GLSP hosted a team of professionals from the US in the framework of Georgia-based exchange which aimed at sharing existing practices and experiences on the juvenile justice in the US. The members of the exchange team were Yvonne Byrd and Derek Miodownik, GLSP foreign experts, Chief Steve McQueen from Winooski Police Department and Andrew R. Strauss, Deputy State’s Attorney, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Office. The group was accompanied by GLSP Program Manager in the US, Renee Berrian. On September 19-21, Yvonne Byrd and Derek Miodownik conducted training for mediators Making Diversion Restorative. The training aimed at increasing participants’ ability to distinguish a restorative justice conference from one that is not restorative in nature as well as their awareness of the facilitator’s role and intent in the whole process, increasing participants’ skills, reviewing current practice of restorative justice conference facilitation and experiences in Georgia and comparing to restorative justice ideals and adapting those ideals to current protocols that exist in Georgia and are controlled by other parties/agencies. The training was attended by mediators, social workers, prosecutors and representatives of the governmental institutions involved in The Diversion and Mediation Program. Training included theoretical part, visual/video materials, imitated restorative conferences with role-plays etc. In accordance with the evaluation forms filled in by the participants, the training was effective and participants improved their knowledge on a number of restorative justice issues.