💡 Restorative encounter
Also known as: Restorative Dialogue, victim-offender mediation, Restorative circle
Facilitated, voluntary meeting between the person who caused harm and the victim (or surrogate victim / community), with the goal of opening dialogue about what happened, its consequences, and possible forms of repair.
The restorative encounter is the most recognized tool of the restorative paradigm. It requires prior preparation with each party separately, the presence of trained facilitators, and a framework of emotional safety.
It does not replace the criminal process but complements it: it often takes place within the process itself (with legal effects), or as a parallel or subsequent stage.
Examples / usage
Diana Márquez has facilitated several pioneering restorative encounters in Argentina, including the first between an indirect victim and adult offenders in a homicide case (2017) and the first involving surrogate victims (Buenos Aires City, 2023).