Patrizia Patrizi

I am psychologist and psychotherapist, full professor of Psychology and Law, and Restorative Justice Practices in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Sassari, Italy). I have curricular courses in restorative justice and teach Master’s degree courses at other Italian universities. I have been a Board member of the European Forum for Restorative Justice since June 2017, a Board representative on the WG on Restorative Cities and a member of the Training Committee. I am currently co-coordinator of the Italian national group of the ‘Restorative Justice Strategies for Change (RJS4C)’ project. I am a registered qualified trainer for the EFRJ and, in 2022, I conducted the first training sessions of EFRJ in Italian (Introduction to restorative justice and Introduction to restorative justice in case of serious harm). I was an expert counsellor for the Italian juvenile justice system, and I am an expert trainer for professionals working in the Italian penitentiary system, in the Department of Juvenile and Community Justice, in social services and NGO.

In 2014, I started the first research action programme on designing a local community intervention based on restorative justice practices in Nuchis-Tempio Pausania, now ‘Tempio Pausania Restorative City’, the first restorative city in Italy. I am the Scientific Responsible person for the Team of restorative justice practices (University of Sassari) on a permanent basis in Italy, and we have developed a model of restorative community named ‘Co.Re. – Community of Restorative relationships’. The model has been an inspiration for other restorative cities in Italy, such as Lecco. The results of our work have included: the establishment of the Restorative Service by the Municipality of Tempio Pausania; the book La giustizia riparativa. Psicologia e diritto per il benessere di persone e comunità (Patrizi, ed., 2019) and the Master ‘Restorative Justice and Mediation: People and Communities Well-being’ (University of Sassari). Over the last decade I have regularly carried out training, awareness-raising and dissemination of restorative justice at a national level, also as a scientific manager of continuing education projects, and within basic and specialised training programmes for social and legal workers, psychologists and psychotherapists, professional orders. I am consultant for ‘Caritas Italiana’ for restorative justice and collaborate with many local Caritas branches for the realisation of restorative justice projects. In 2021, the Department of Penitentiary Administration (General Directorate of Education) entrusted to me and my team the planning and delivery of training in restorative justice for the staff of the Italian penitentiary system. I collaborate with various restorative justice organisations throughout the country and create new networks with other organisations, not necessarily specialised in restorative justice but interested in working with the values and principles of restorative justice. I continuously participate in the national and international debate on the development of restorative justice. Among my other topics of research and intervention: education, community development, gender issues, prisons, young people, practitioner training.

Among the publications of the last 5 years:

1.  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, vol. 19, ISSN: 1660-4601, doi: 10.3390/ijerph19010096
2. Patrizi, P., Lepri, G.L., Lodi, E. (2019). Restoring relationships, community building: from social inclusion to wellbeing. In G. Grandi, S. Grigoletto (a cura di), Restorative Approach and Social Innovation: From Theoretical Grounds to Sustainable Practices (pp. 45-59). Padova: University Press.
3. Lepri, G.L., Lodi, E., Patrizi, P. (2019). Tempio Pausania: social conflict and resolution in a community setting. The International Journal of Restorative Justice, DOI https://doi.org/10.5553/IJRJ/258908912019002002011.
4. Patrizi P. (ed.) (2019). La giustizia riparativa. Psicologia e diritto per il benessere di persone e comunità. Roma: Carocci.
5. Patrizi, P., Lepri, G.L., Lodi, E. (2018). Verso una comunità relazionale e riparativa: per prevenire il crimine e promuovere il benessere. In P. Nicolini, S. Porcu (a cura di), Una Mente Sociale: Contributi in ricordo di Barbara Pojaghi (pp. 118-128). Milano: FrancoAngeli.

Since 2017, my experience as a Board member has allowed me to: 1) with greater strength and credibility spread the European vision of restorative justice in my country; 2) find synergies between different restorative justice projects across Italy, to strengthen cooperation and join forces; 3) promote registration to the EFRJ of Italian scholars, practitioners and policy makers; 4) foster a wider consideration of the role of the community in restorative justice programmes; 5) further strengthen the national and international cooperation around the use of community oriented restorative approaches, such as restorative cities; 6) contribute to the work around restorative justice training, bringing together the EFRJ and Italian experiences in the field of education and professional development (training and supervision). Soon restorative justice will be introduced at all levels of the Italian penal system and this will require to intensify not only training, but action aimed at cultural change.

My contribution to the Board can be traced mainly through: 1) the specifics within  my profile (researcher, trainer and practitioner); 2) the transversality of my activities that connect institutions of justice and social community; 3) the variety of themes and contexts (gender issues, LGBTIQ+ community, non-discrimination, prisons, schools, young people and adults, etc.); 4) the national and local network with the institutions of justice, social services and associations; 5) the international network of restorative justice, which has also developed through participation in European projects. I believe that a second mandate will enable me to develop the projects initiated within the Board during these 5 years.

My skills include those of communication, organisation, motivation and involvement of different categories: social workers, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, educators, religious, associations, politicians, artists, etc.; adherence to the values of restorative justice in the contexts of practice, training and daily life.

I have known Patrizia for 10 years as a good friend, a colleague and more recently a member of the Board of the European Forum for Restorative Justice. As a friend, she is generous, honest and good fun to be with. She has a very warm and genuine personality and relates well to everyone. She has strong values and beliefs in justice and equality and will defend them vigorously. We have worked together in many events, conferences and training courses throughout Italy. Through her network she has tirelessly promoted restorative justice. Her approach engages the community in taking responsibility for social action to address people’s fears and hopes. She leads a team of very talented restorative trainers, researchers and practitioners who work with great intensity together. They developed the first restorative city in Italy by activating citizens’ concerns over the building of a high security prison and channeling these concerns into a series of restorative meetings which resolved the situation to the satisfaction of all parties. Patrizia and the team have also published books and articles that have informed and influenced the field in Italy and beyond. Patrizia has proved to be a hard-working, enthusiastic and reliable Board member. She has contributed much to the work of the Training Committee. Her greatest achievement for the EFRJ is the thought, energy and time she has devoted to organising our international conference here in Sassari. She has spent many, many hours making contact with civic organisations, funders and politicians. In this effort she has been supported 100% by her team. In conclusion, Patrizia Patrizi has all the qualities required the serve as a member of the Board of EFRJ for a second term. Her experience will be invaluable to the new members.

Patrizia Patrizi is a psychologist and psychotherapist, full professor of Psychology and Law, and of Restorative Justice Practices at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Sassari, Italy). She is a Board member of the European Restorative Justice Forum since June 2017 and I joined her working together until 2020. Patrizia is passionate about Restorative Justice and about people and colleagues. If restorative justice is a form of humanisation of justice, people like Patrizia are essential to bring about change. She has an enormous capacity for work and a special gift for mobilising people and working in a team, transmitting emotions and professionalism. In the organisation of the EFRJ conference in Sassari she has shown to have contacts all over Italy and to be able to mobilise even different social sectors in Sassari. The countries of Southern Europe have been particularly represented by her on the Board and I believe that in order to continue the enormous work done by Patrizia over the years, it is necessary that she can continue to put work, quality and heart into the Board of the EFRJ for the next four years.

Email:  patrizi@uniss.it

Organisation, job title: Professor of Psychology and Law, and Restorative Justice Practices in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences (University of Sassari, Italy)