Inspiration from Norway: Is the Norwegian Model of Restorative Justice Transferable to Slovakia?

The paper examines whether the Norwegian model of restorative justice can be transferred to the
Slovak context, focusing on victim–offender mediation. By comparing Slovak law with Norway’s statecoordinated system, it identifies a key shortcoming in Slovakia: the absence of an explicit and systematic link between mediation and the decision-making regimes of the Code of Criminal Procedure (notably diversion, i.e., settlement and conditional suspension/interruption of prosecution) as well as the Criminal Code (notably the conditional suspension of a custodial sentence). The paper outlines starting points for legislative reform aimed at embedding mediation within these instruments.
Keywords: restorative justice; victim–offender mediation; criminal proceedings; Probation and
Mediation Service