Summary
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In this short piece, Martin Wright reports on the establishment of the European Association for Restorative Justice (EARJ). Much of the initiative behind the establishment of this organization comes from efforts of the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium). The university has long been active in criminal justice issues. The university has participated in international conferences and has hosted an international course on restorative justice. Several of the academic staff have researched and promoted restorative justice. Now, led by Tony Peters and Ivo Aertsen, funds have been obtained from the European Union to organize the European Association for Restorative Justice for one year. The steering committee has proposed the following purposes and activities for the EARJ. The basic aim is to establish and develop principles, ethics, training, and practices of restorative justice, with an emphasis on victim/offender mediation, throughout Europe. Immediate objectives include holding a conference, publishing proceedings, starting a newsletter, and obtaining future funding. The EARJ will bring together practitioners to improve practices, but will also seek to influence policy makers in European countries and the Council of Europe.
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