Disappointments in mediation for justice-involved girls in out-of-home care: fieldwork afterthoughts

Abstract

This perspective paper enquires into the dynamics of justice-involved girls (JiG) residing in out-of-home foster care settings within a non-Western context, scrutinising and questioning prevailing approaches within youth justice institutions that amalgamate mediation and restorative justice methodologies. Leveraging insights garnered from firsthand encounters with JiG, I present vignettes from my fieldwork observations to illustrate scenarios where JiG experience disappointment, hence underscoring potential pitfalls associated with blended approaches. Proposing a concentric circle framework tailored to navigate the knottiness of double-mediation circumstances, particular attention is directed towards addressing JiG's internal conflicts. Furthermore, I contend that JiG's susceptibility to disappointment offers insights into the underlying origins of conflicts and sheds light on their struggles with self-identity within youth mediation programmes. By synthesising theoretical constructs with empirical evidence, this perspective paper offers practical guidance for researchers and social work practitioners working with JiG, while also contributing to ongoing dialogues surrounding girls' participation in juvenile justice and youth-mediated interventions.