Bergamo is betting on restorative justice
Bergamo will have a restorative justice center accredited by the Ministry of Justice. It will be established in collaboration with the InConTra association, already identified by the Brescia Court of Appeal as a recognized organization in the areas of Brescia, Bergamo, Cremona, and Mantua.
The service will offer, at every stage of the sentence, the opportunity for those involved to voluntarily access restorative justice programs, the outcomes of which may positively impact their access to benefits such as release, external employment, or parole . "This opportunity is truly important; as an administration, we've been working on it for many years," says Marcella Messina , Councilor for Social Policies, Sport, Longevity, and Health for the City of Bergamo.
"At the Brescia Court of Appeal's Local Conference for Restorative Justice on July 23, the Municipality of Bergamo confirmed its willingness to open a restorative justice center in its territory, pursuant to Article 92 of Legislative Decree No. 150/2022 , adopted following Delegated Law No. 134/2021 (the "Cartabia Reform")," Messina continues. "The municipal administration reaffirmed its commitment to increasingly effectively promoting conflict mediation projects aimed at developing the local community through ongoing networking with citizens, associations, and public institutions. The announcement of the possibility of opening a restorative justice center accredited by the Ministry of Justice in our city was completely unexpected; we felt we had to join Brescia in doing so . The recognition of a center in Bergamo means giving voice to all the work done over the years."
"We want to give the center a physical location, in a municipal space, in the heart of the city in a very beautiful neighborhood, Borgo Palazzo. Some municipal employees are following this project, and we will work at the headquarters alongside mediators from the InConTra association. It seems like a very interesting project; it embraces the idea of a relationship on this issue where the public and private sectors intertwine ." The councilor emphasizes that "it's important that this center not be isolated, but rather span all areas, starting with minors and families, and prison work: there must be cross-cutting integration of all the interventions implemented ."
"I received the protocol for the establishment of the restorative justice center from the ministry, a prerequisite for accessing the funding. I will bring it to the council on August 28th," Messina continues. The protocol provides guidelines, defining the Essential Levels of Performance (LEP). "For example, it states that there must be six expert mediators, each working twenty hours a week , as well as interpreters, and that the municipality can put out a tender to procure these resources , which must begin within 15 days of the funds being allocated."
It is important that this center is not isolated, but that it crosses all areas, starting with minors and families, and the work in prison: there must be a transversal integration of all the interventions implemented.
Marcella Messina , Councillor for Social Policies, Sport, Longevity and Health of the Municipality of Bergamo
The protocol also states that the institution must be established "without new or increased burdens on public finances, with funding provided by the institution's own funds and by the share of the Fund for the financing of restorative justice interventions pursuant to Article 67, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree No. 150/2022." The funding has not yet been quantified.
The InConTra association was legally established in 2023, but the Bergamo restorative justice center was founded much earlier, in 2005, within the diocesan Caritas, at the instigation of a priest, Father Virgilio Balducchi , who was a prison chaplain at the time. "We've been working in the area for 20 years. Restorative justice is the justice of encounter , which is why we call ourselves that," says Anna Cattaneo , an experienced mediator and president of the InConTra association.
It's important to emphasize that the restorative justice model is consensual and voluntary ; it's a process that only those who want to undertake it can begin. When someone who has committed a crime comes to their senses because, through meeting with their victim, the injured party, they understand what they've done and their responsibility, taking action to make amends, it's clear that we all benefit. Because those who engage in restorative justice will likely never commit the crime again.
Currently, 10 experienced mediators work at the InConTra restorative justice center in Bergamo, and 20 are awaiting completion of the training process required by the Cartabia reform. "In addition to the one in Bergamo, the restorative justice center in Brescia has also been accredited by the ministry. The important work now will be to create a strong synergy between the two centers," Cattaneo continues, "to ensure a working model that facilitates the processing of all requests coming in from the local area. We expect a lot of work to be done."
A great deal of collaboration is needed to ensure that restorative justice can fulfill its original purpose. This is essential if we want it to be a successful tool and not just a way to evade legal procedures, because if it becomes that, we've all lost.
Anna Cattaneo , expert mediator, president of the InConTra association
Restorative justice " can be implemented during all phases of criminal proceedings: investigation, arraignment, and execution . An important effort, partly already accomplished since Law 150/2022 was enacted, which now needs to be strengthened, is the dialogue between mediators and legal practitioners (magistrates and lawyers), to understand the most appropriate practices for implementing restorative justice processes at the various stages of criminal proceedings," Cattaneo continues.
A great deal of collaboration is needed to ensure that restorative justice can fulfill its original purpose. It's essential if we want it to be a tool that works and not just a way to evade legal procedures, because if it becomes that, we're all going to lose. A different vision of justice is at stake, one that can truly facilitate the construction of a more responsible, more mature, more adult society .
Photo by the InConTra association
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