Mediation can reduce juvenile delinquency

Encounters between victims and offenders are an untapped resource that could prevent young people from falling into a criminal lifestyle. So says Lottie Wahlin, a senior lecturer in social work, who focuses on mediation in her research.

“Mediation is an untapped resource that seems relevant today, as very young people are drawn into crime. In schools, where the children spend their days, mediation could be a great method. Here, they could be taught conflict management at an early age,” says Lottie Wahlin.

For 20 years, she has been working with mediation in various ways, both in practice and in research. For example, for five years she worked at the Swedish Crime Prevention Council on a government assignment aimed at implementing mediation and at training mediators throughout the country.