QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS ON SACRED ELEMENTS

This questionnaire forms part of doctoral research conducted at Nova univerza, Evropska pravna fakulteta (New University, European Faculty of Law) entitled Elements of the Sacred in Restorative Justice Processes, examining the role of sacred, spiritual, and symbolic dimensions in restorative justice practice. While restorative justice has been studied extensively from legal, psychological, and sociological perspectives, the deeper meaning-making and experiential dimensions of practitioner work remain underexplored. This research seeks to address that gap.

The questionnaire consists of eight thematic sections and combines open-ended questions with scaled responses. Completion is estimated to take between 20 and 30 minutes.

Participation is voluntary and entirely anonymous. No identifying information is collected. All data will be processed exclusively for academic research purposes and stored in accordance with applicable ethical and data protection standards.

Thank you for your contribution.

Robert Friskovec

Gender:

Age group:

Country of residence

Years of experience in restorative justice field:

Primary area of work (multiple choice):

Primary role (multiple choice):

How would you define restorative justice in your own words?

How do you understand the relationship between restorative justice and the formal criminal justice system?

Which values do you consider most important in restorative justice?

How do you incorporate the question of values into the preparation for restorative practices?

Restorative justice in my practice goes beyond conflict resolution and focuses on restoring relationships.

The values of restorative justice have an almost sacred character for me.

How do you select or prepare the physical space for the restorative process?

Which characteristics of the space are crucial for a successful process?

Have you ever experienced the space becoming sacred during the process?

Do you recognize sacred moments or kairos in your practice, and if so, how do you manage them?

How does the inclusion of hospitality (e.g., food, drinks, informal gathering) change human connection in the space?

The absence of time pressure is crucial for the quality of the restorative process.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS

I. BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRACTITIONER AND PRACTICE

II. UNDERSTANDING AND VALUES OF RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

III. SPACE AND TIME IN RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

IV. RITUALS, SYMBOLS, AND STRUCTURE

V. SPIRITUAL OR SACRED DIMENSION

VI. COMMUNITY, RELATIONSHIPS, AND DIGNITY

VII. TRANSFORMATION AND PERSONAL REFLECTION

VIII. CHALLENGES, TENSIONS, AND THE SYSTEM