Jorge Ollero Perán

My professional life began in prison, first as a Guard and, then, as a Jurist of Penitentiary Institutions for the Home Office in Spain. While I was working in the penitentiary environment, I realised the enormous challenge of achieving a more humane justice system, where there is less suffering for victims and for people who commit crimes. That is why I decided to leave my position as public official and began to work in a civil society organisation, the Andalusian Federation ENLACE. There, I coordinated a Restorative Justice Service with 6 volunteer mediators, and I was also responsible for restorative projects in prison, as well as for various restorative practices projects in the community. Since 2021 I have been selected as Director of the Restorative Justice Service of the Government of Navarra. In this position we are developing the first Spanish Restorative Justice Law and also promoting a high quality restorative justice Service. We really want to take restorative justice to the next level, by addressing the social roots of crimes and transforming society. This year I have published my first book, Magic Penalism, which is trying to change the idea of punitiveness as a magical tool to address social problems. You can find more info about me and my book here: https://penalismomagico.net/

As I explained in my presentation in the last EFRJ symposium in Bilbao, I believe in restorative justice as a social movement that can contribute to the reduction of punitiveness and the promotion of social cohesion, resilience and real democracy. Being a Board member of the EFRJ will be an honour and important responsibility that I will take to transform the world in that direction. I have worked as restorative justice practitioner, researcher and policy maker, so I think I can offer a balanced approach to any of the challenges that the restorative ecosystem needs. I am a passionate speaker and writer, so I can contribute to spread our message. Moreover, I am also good when it comes to creative thinking but I can keep the feet on the ground and build the changes we want step by step.

It is an honour and great responsibility to propose Jorge Ollero as a candidate for the Board elections. I know Jorge since the 8th international conference of the EFRJ in Belfast where I was elected as a Board member. We soon realised we share the same vision about restorative justice and its possibilities and we collaborated since the beginning based on his experience as a practitioner and researcher. During these years, moreover, Jorge has been my best collaborator for policy making in the Basque Country, and he led the group of experts in charge of designing a prison system model for the Basque Country based in restorative justice principles. The seed we planted then has blossomed in the new Basque restorative prison system and Jorge has grown and became the Director of probation and restorative justice services of Navarre Government. So, I admire his ability of policy making, with the practical vision of a practitioner with the feet on the ground and based in evidence and investigations as a researcher. As a continuity of policy making he has started working during 2020 for the Government of Navarra in the elaboration of a Restorative Intervention Model in prison. So, with the lack of policy makers in the EFRJ Board he is the perfect candidate well connected to represent Southern Countries of Europe at the Board.

I am happy to support Jorge's candidature because I think he would certainly be a valuable, useful, and committed Board member of the European Forum for Restorative Justice (EFRJ). I had the pleasure of meeting Jorge in Oñati during a workshop on prisons, art and restorative justice, and we then met again in Bilbao during the Forum's symposium. We stayed in touch because from the first moment I appreciated his critical and intellectual approach to restorative justice, his academic rigour and his experience in the field and in policy. Having read his outstanding article on the relationship between restorative justice and prisons, published in The International Journal of Restorative Justice, I have no doubt that Jorge is able to combine research and expertise as a practitioner simply and intelligently. Above all his qualities, I particularly appreciate his pleasant and courteous character. Beyond his professional commitment to restorative justice values, Jorge has always expressed his dedication to the Forum and its members, as he is always ready to help, engage and promote the Forum's activities and vision. I am therefore sure that he will continue to do so as a Board member. I strongly believe that the Board should continue to have representatives from the southern part of Europe as well as from the Spanish-speaking world. Given his background in research and policy as well as his brilliant character, I am sure that Jorge would be an excellent choice.

Email: je.ollero.peran@navarra.es

Organisation, job title: Director of the Penal Enforcement and Restorative Justice Service of the Government of Navarra.