Analysis of Restorative Justice in Criminal Liability for Adolescents in Colombia

This study aimed to analyze the restorative justice oriented to dealing with cases of criminal responsibility for Colombian young offenders under Law 1098 of 2006. This analysis is the product of a conceptual job and methodological exercise applied to a collection process, systematization and analysis of information, based on an exploratory research design. We used a purposive sample of thirty participants who work at the Center for Special Legal Services for Adolescents, composed of judges of knowledge and control of guarantees, prosecutors, family advocates, judicial police, psychologists and social workers who are given an in-depth interview based on predefined categories. In the study are described needs of the institutional context, professional and system staff members that provide insight into the necessary conditions to propose general guidelines to guide on the one hand, the development of a restorative justice program in a accordance with applicable law in Colombia and, on the other hand, that allow different strategies to empower the community and fulfill the principle of shared responsibility between government, community, family, educational institutions, victims and young offenders to make restorative justice programs viable.