Identification of restorative services of social work in juvenile proceedings from the perspective of criminal justice stakeholders in Iran: a qualitative study

Social workers play a crucial role in the criminal justice system by providing restorative services to victims and offenders. Understanding the perspectives of stakeholders in this field can influence how these services are delivered and their effectiveness. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of criminal justice stakeholders regarding restorative social work services. This research was conducted using a qualitative approach and a conventional content analysis method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 experts and practitioners in the field of social harm and juvenile offenses, selected through purposive and snowball sampling, and were analyzed using qualitative content analysis techniques (of the conventional type) and the proposed steps by Graneheim and Lundman in MAXQDA-2018 software. After analyzing the data, two main categories were extracted: 1. Social Workers’ Potentials in Juvenile Restorative Justice, which includes subcategories: Empowerment, Awareness Raising, Social Action, Mediation, Root Cause Analysis, Specialized Team Building and Networking, Counseling and Treatment, Trust Building. And the Social Workers’ Limitations in Juvenile Courts, which includes subcategories: Economic Problems, Weakness in Cohesive Policy Making, Lack of Resources, Unrealistic Positioning of Social Work. Social workers, as key intermediaries in the criminal justice system, play an important role in improving social conditions and reducing the harms caused by crime by providing restorative services to victims and offenders. To achieve more effective outcomes, it is essential to focus on strengthening the skills and empowering social workers, as well as addressing existing legal and economic barriers. These actions not only contribute to enhancing the quality of services provided but can also strengthen community trust in the criminal justice system. Therefore, attention to the training and support of social workers in fulfilling their effective roles in juvenile courts will be a fundamental step toward implementing restorative justice and reducing social problems.