Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
Aim: This paper describes the long-term process of building a restorative city in Tempio Pausania, led by the Restorative Justice Practices Team from the University of Sassari in Sardinia, Italy. The study aims to demonstrate the impact of embedding the restorative paradigm within the cultural and social context of small cities in Northern Sardinia, spanning initial prison conflict resolution to ongoing community and school interventions.
Methodology: The initiative relies on the Co.Re. model, developed by the research team in alignment with international restorative justice literature and best practices. The primary operational tool utilized throughout the project's workshops is the circle, applied as an instrument to foster relational capacity and community cohesion.
Findings: Over years of continuous implementation, the project successfully expanded restorative practices from prison settings into broader community activities and schools, proving the viability and sustained applicability of the restorative paradigm in small urban contexts.
Value: The paper offers a field-tested, long-term case study and practical blueprint (the Co.Re. model) for scaling restorative practices from specific institutional settings to an entire municipality.
References
Aertsen, I., Bolívar, D., De Mesmaecker, V. & Lauwers, N. (2011). Restorative justice and the active victim: Exploring the concept of empowerment. Temida: Journal of Victimization, Human Rights and Gender, 14(1), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.2298/TEM1101005A
Bartoli, R. (2022, November 29). Una breve introduzione alla giustizia riparativa nell'ambito della giustizia punitiva. Sistema Penale. https://sistemapenale.it/it/articolo/bartoli-introduzione-giustizia-riparativa-giustizia-punitiva.
Bartoli, R. (2023, July 28). Una giustizia senza violenza, né Stato, né diritto: Ancora sul paradigma giuridico della giustizia riparativa. Sistema Penale. https://www.sistemapenale.it/it/articolo/bartoli-una-giustizia-senza-violenza-ne-stato-ne-diritto.
Braithwaite, J. (2016). Restorative justice and responsive regulation: The question of evidence (RegNet Research Paper No. 2016/51). SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2839086
Chapman, T. (2012). Facilitating restorative conferences in Northern Ireland. In Zinsstag, E. & Vanfraechem, I. (Eds.). Conferencing and restorative justice: International practices and perspectives. Oxford University Press.
Ciavarella, C. & Madeddu, M. (2024). Clima e legami sociali in un carcere di alta sicurezza. In Patrizi, P. (Ed.). La giustizia riparativa: Psicologia e diritto per il benessere di persone e comunità (2nd ed., pp. 227–241). Carocci.
Diddi, A. (2023). Effetti sull’esecuzione penale e penitenziaria della restorative justice. Processo Penale e Giustizia. Fascicolo straordinario Accertamento penale e giustizia riparativa, 101–109.
Donini, M. (2020, October 29). Pena agìta e pena subìta. Il modello del delitto riparato. Questione Giustizia. https://www.questionegiustizia.it/articolo/pena-agita-e-pena-subita-il-modello-del-delitto-riparato.
European Forum for Restorative Justice (2018). Connecting people to restore just relations: Practice guide on values and standards for restorative justice practices. https://www.euforumrj.org/sites/default/files/2019-11/efrj-values-and-standards-manual-to-print-24pp.pdf.
European Forum for Restorative Justice (2023). A journey around restorative cities in the world: A travel guide. https://www.euforumrj.org/sites/default/files/2023-12/DIGITAL%20%E2%80%93%20EFRJ%20Travel%20Guide%20%E2%80%93%20FINAL%20VERSION%20201123.pdf.
Kettrey, H. H. & Reynolds, N. S. (2024). Is restorative justice appropriate for sexual assault and domestic violence? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the “empirical vacuum”. Journal of Experimental Criminology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11292-024-09651-8
Lepri, G. L., Lodi, E. & Patrizi, P. (2019). Tempio Pausania: Social conflict resolution in a community setting. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 2(2), 314–319. https://doi.org/10.5553/IJRJ/258908912019002002011
Lodi, E., Perrella, L., Lepri, G. L., Scarpa, M. L. & Patrizi, P. (2022). Use of restorative justice and restorative practices at school: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(1), 96. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010096.
Maggio, F., Perrella, L., Lepri, G. L., Lodi, E., Scarpa, M. L. & Patrizi, P. (2025). Oltre un decennio di costruzione di una restorative city. Pandemos, 3, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.13125/pan-6789
Mannozzi, G. (2019). The emergence of the idea of a ‘restorative city’ and its link to restorative justice. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 2(2), 288–292. https://doi.org/10.5553/IJRJ/258908912019002002006
Marder, I. D. (2020). The new international restorative justice framework: Reviewing three years of progress and efforts to promote access to services and cultural change. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 3(3), 395–418. https://doi.org/10.5553/IJRJ.000048
Patrizi, P. (Ed.). (2024). Giustizia riparativa. Psicologia e diritto per il benessere di persone e comunità (2nd ed.). Carocci.
Perrella, L., Lodi, E., Lepri, G. L. & Patrizi, P. (2024). Use of restorative justice and restorative practices in prison: A systematic literature review. Rassegna Italiana di Criminologia, 18(1), 69–82. https://doi.org/10.7347/RIC-012024-p69
Read, T. & Straker, C. (2019). Brighton and Hove: Developing a culture of doing ‘with’ as prevention rather than cure. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 2(2), 293–297. https://doi.org/10.5553/IJRJ/258908912019002002007
Turco, A. (2024). Drammaturgie penitenziarie e comunità solidali. In Patrizi, P. (Ed.), La giustizia riparativa: Psicologia e diritto per il benessere di persone e comunità (2nd ed., pp. 205–226). Carocci.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2006). Handbook on restorative justice programmes. United Nations.
Van Cleynenbreugel, L. (2019). Leuven: Creating support and skills for handling conflicts in a restorative way. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 2(2), 303–308. https://doi.org/10.5553/ijrj/258908912019002002009
Van Steden, R. & Slump, G. J. (2024). The ambiguous practice of restorative justice: Observations on conflict mediation in a police context. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 7(3), 436–456. https://doi.org/10.5553/TIJRJ.000194
Vasilescu, C. (2023). Building a restorative city: What aims and processes? The International Journal of Restorative Justice, 6(1), 119–126. https://doi.org/10.5553/TIJRJ.000153
Wachtel, T. & McCold, P. (2001). Restorative justice in everyday life: Beyond the formal ritual. In Strang, H. & Braithwaite, J. (Eds.). Restorative justice and civil society (pp. 114–129). Cambridge University Press.
Zehr, H. (1990). Changing lenses: A new focus for crime and justice. Herald Press.
Zehr, H. (2005). Changing lenses: A new focus for crime and justice (3rd ed.). Herald Press.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2026 Academic Journal of Internal Affairs