What is Restorative Justice?

Restorative Justice schemes have the potential to offer constructive, community based responses to crime. They bring together all parties (offender, victim, friends, family, community representatives and others) with a stake in a specific offence to resolve how to deal with the aftermath of the offence and any implications for the future. Restorative justice can take a variety of forms. At present they operate primarily within the youth justice system, especially as part of final warnings and referral orders, but there is scope for extending the activity within the adult system too.

We are developing a national restorative justice strategy. Our proposals will be published for consultation later this year. The strategy will:

• Consider the availability of Restorative Justice across all age groups and at all stages of the criminal justice process

• Make the link with our work to turn children away from crime. To tackle bullying and other anti-social behaviour

• Give a high priority to the needs of victims and ensure they need only participate if they wish

• Seek to maximise the potential of restorative justice to reduce re-offending

• Promote consistent, appropriate approaches and effective use of restorative justice techniques

Restorative justice section of the white paper ‘Justice for All’ Published 17th July 2002

Remedi aims to provide restorative justice initiatives directly to individuals and via referrals from organisations such as youth offending teams and the national probation service. These services encompass mediation, reparation, letters of apology and victim awareness work with offenders. Remedi also aims to promote the restorative justice model within victim/offender based agencies and through working with communities and in schools.