In a thought-provoking presentation, Claudia Christen-Schneider shed light on an important aspect of restorative justice – its integration with trauma-informed care. With her expertise as the founder and president of the Swiss RJ Forum, along with her extensive academic background in criminology and criminal justice, Claudia provided valuable insights into how restorative justice can align more closely with trauma-informed approaches to achieve genuine healing for all stakeholders involved.
Restorative justice aims to heal the harms caused by crime, making it imperative that trauma-healing becomes an integral part of its practices. This concept resonates strongly with the core principles of ‘trauma-informed care,’ which seeks to create an environment where professionals understand trauma and adapt their practices accordingly. Both restorative justice and trauma-informed care share common goals such as promoting healing through empowerment, storytelling, building healthy relationships, and fostering reconnection.
However, despite these shared objectives between restorative justice and trauma-informed care, existing literature suggests that many restorative justice programs lack a trauma-informed approach. This raises questions about whether current initiatives truly live up to their own aspirations of providing needs-based and healing forms of justice.
Claudia’s presentation delved into this critical question by exploring what it means to work in a trauma-informed manner with all stakeholders involved in a restorative process. By acknowledging the impact of trauma on victims, offenders, and communities alike during these processes, we can pave the way towards achieving genuine healing through global restorative justice initiatives.
The importance of integrating trauma-informed care within restorative justice cannot be overstated. It requires practitioners to recognize the profound effects that traumatic experiences have on individuals’ lives while ensuring they feel safe throughout their journey towards restoration. Additionally, adopting a holistic approach that addresses both physical and psychological aspects of trauma can significantly enhance the effectiveness of restorative justice practices.
Claudia Christen-Schneider’s expertise in restorative justice, mediation, and conflict resolution, combined with her commitment to promoting and implementing these principles in Switzerland, makes her presentation a valuable resource for professionals working in this field. Her insights highlight the urgent need for restorative justice programs worldwide to embrace trauma-informed care as an integral part of their approach
By bridging the gap between restorative justice and trauma-informed care, we can create a more inclusive and effective system that truly supports healing for all those affected by crime. Claudia’s presentation serves as a catalyst for change, encouraging practitioners to reevaluate their practices and strive towards providing needs-based justice that addresses the underlying traumas experienced by individuals involved in the process.
