This thesis examines the introduction, quality and implementation of court-based restorative practices for young offenders in Greece. It is based on the belief that state-run initiatives can have a restorative value. Although restorative justice (RJ) is discussed widely in Europe, it is only now that the subject is becoming of growing importance to Greece. The move is necessitated by the need to conform to recent EU legislation which promotes the application of mediated forms of dispute resolution and supports the rights of victims of crime within penal proceedings.