JUSTIÇA RESTAURATIVA E JUVENTUDES: Uma análise acerca de suas experiências e percepções em Imperatriz – MA

Abstract

This research analyzes the ways in which our society deals with adolescents who commit criminal acts based on the experiences of applying Restorative Justice in the city of Imperatriz, Maranhão, Brazil. Restorative Justice is presented, from the perspective of the research interlocutors, as an “alternative” and an advance in the process of conflict resolution and defense of the rights of so-called adolescents, being imagined as a procedure that proposes a methodology aimed at repairing damages and rebalancing social relations, without exclusively punitive intention. Based on an interdisciplinary approach, the study investigates how restorative practices are appreciated as strategies for the resocialization of adolescents, promoting a possible restitution of damages and protection of social ties. The work was carried out through the combination of a bibliographic review, documentary analysis of legal proceedings of the Children and Youth Court of Imperatriz and interviews with professionals involved in the fulfillment of socio-educational measures. Among the evidence highlighted, the prevalence of custodial measures was also found, which often disregard the specific conditions of young people and their family contexts, revealing critical situations in the retributive model. The results point to the need to overcome the limitations of the retributive model, which is often marked by exclusionary and stigmatizing practices, and to find ways to prioritize dialogue, co-responsibility, and social reintegration. The study also identified local efforts to apply restorative methods, such as dialogue circles and victimoffender conferences, even in the face of challenges related to the lack of resources and cultural resistance to practices related to the method. Based on the data analyzed, it is concluded that, as pointed out by the research subjects, Restorative Justice is represented as a model to address recidivism and promote the dignity of adolescents serving socioeducational measures, especially in Imperatriz.