Adolescente infrator: as práticas restaurativas (mediação) e a nova Lei do Sistema Nacional de Atendimento Socioeducativo (SINASE) na cidade do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This paper entitled Young Offender: from the island of exclusion to the bridge of social re-integration based on the concept of mediation found in the new Act SINASE focuses on transformative mediation with a view to shedding new light on the conduct disorder and its consequences to society. This form of action, among some other benefits, may avoid taking such cases to Court, as they may be dealt with according to their features by experts in conflicts aiming at guiding the human beings in need of establishing bonds in social life. The mediators work with young offenders who are in conflict with the law, their parents and their victims. Having checked the circumstances favourable to the mediation, the mediator establishes a clear conversation with all of them, focusing primarily on the conflict itself and the relationship among them. The mediator encourages negotiation taking into account their different views, which provides appropriate conditions for the internal transformation of the litigants and hopefully produces the dissolution of the major conflict. The mediators should initially deal with only less serious cases, such as assaults and other minor conflicts among adolescents. As the mediators get more experienced, they may also focus on some other types of law infractions like petty thefts, for instance. In order to achieve satisfactory results, the mediation has been initially explained according to the Literature in this area and in a second phase the necessary data to write a piece of scientific work was collected. A deductive methodology has been adopted and to start with there is an overall analysis of children and adolescents, particularly those in conflict with the law. The general theory of mediation is then addressed followed by a particular approach on the issues concerning mediation in SINASE. Finally it is argued that it is necessary to unravel the regulatory framework which authorizes the practice of mediation as a tool for addressing issues related to adolescents in conflict with the law. The main objective is to identify the legal nature of this type of mediation and establish its use which has not been addressed in Law No. 12594 of January 18, 2002 which originally makes reference to it. The greatest challenge is to find the appropriate methodology and to guarantee that the way to conduct the conflict becomes restorative for both the young offender and the other members involved in it. The attempt to rescue the social environment affected by the law infraction is as important as the effort to raise the adolescent's awareness of the issue. It is intended to suggest a regulatory framework that sets the procedure of mediation as a tool to connect the young offender, the social environment and the procedural rules that have prevented the judicial system to perform its main duty which is to do justice to society.