La giustizia riparativa

This chapter examines the central role of restorative justice within the juvenile criminal justice system, tracing its normative and practical development in the Italian legal system and highlighting its early consolidation in comparison with the adult system. Starting from the paradigm of child-friendly justice, the contribution explores the structural and value-based reasons that have made juvenile justice a privileged field for the experimentation of restorative practices, with particular attention to the balance between the responsibility of the juvenile offender and the protection of victims. The chapter analyses the main entry points of restorative justice into juvenile criminal proceedings, both at the procedural and enforcement stages, focusing on institutions such as suspension of trial and probation and other devices tipical of juvenile justice (such as the judicial pardon). Significant attention is devoted to the comprehensive legislation introduced by Legislative Decree No. 150/2022, the principles governing access to restorative justice programmes, and the safeguards provided for minors involved in such processes. Finally, from a critical perspective, the contribution assesses the impact of recent criminal policy choice, especially the so-called “Caivano Decree”, and reflects on the resilience of the restorative model and the future prospects of juvenile justice.