Research

The third aim of the mediation clinic is to promote research:

  • in order to inform pedagogy
  • through projects undertaken by the work of the clinic
  • by partnering external bodies to assist in projects of mutual interest
  • so as to provide a forum for knowledge sharing

To enhance the research profile of academic departments, clinics are seen as increasingly important at the academic stage of legal academic study within the UK.

The mediation clinic is the first of its kind in a UK law school and the study of alternative dispute resolution will produce a research-based curriculum. It will provide academic staff with data which will form the foundation of research projects, which may be entered into collaboratively with other departments within the university, or externally with private sector, public sector and voluntary sector providers.

The clinic also provides a knowledge sharing forum which amongst other things will assist in spreading the message about the appreciable benefits of alternative dispute resolution, restorative practices and particularly mediation.

Ongoing Research

Adult Prison Restorative Justice Mediation

Between July 2008 to May 2009 the Department of Law and Criminal Justice Studies at Canterbury Christ Church University conducted an independent evaluation of adult prison restorative justice mediation. The evaluation  involved collecting observation data from victim/offender mediation awareness training for prison officers and interviews with those involved in mediation process. In particular, it  focused upon the perceptions of victims, offenders and stakeholders (mediators, offender managers and supervisors) and their experiences of restorative mediation in five separate cases. The evaluation was based on qualitative interviews, although quantitative data was collected, due to the sample size of this initial research meaningful analysis of quantitative data has not been possible. Further case studies are in the process of being evaluated.

The RIT Funded Project 2007-09

In 2007, the Department of Crime & Policing Studies received HEFCE RIT funding for the Mediation Clinic Project 2007-2009. The aim of this project was to set up an extensive feasibility study based around the development of a pilot mediation clinic. It was carried out in light of the department's plan to establish a permanent mediation clinic from the academic year 2008/9.

For more information about these and other projects, see the pdf downloads on this page.