Restorative Justice

What is restorative justice?

A system which focuses on rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims

Enables offender to see impact of crime, and empower survivors by giving them a voice

What are key features of RJ?

Trained mediator supervises meeting

Non courtroom setting where offenders voluntarily meet with survivors

Can take place in any format, like f2f or video call active involvement needed

What is RJC?

Independent body which establishes clear standards for use of RJ and to support survivors and trained professionals

How can restitution happen in RJ?

Paying money to survivor, offender repairing damaged property themselves

Offender rebuild survivor’s confidence and self esteem

How can RJ occur?

Pre trial, alongside prison, alternative to prison especially if offender is young, incentive to reduce sentence length

What did Shapland find in a 7 year research project that supports the effectiveness of RJ in dealing with offending behaviour?

85% survivors report satisfaction, 78% would, recommend to others in same situation

RJ achieve aim of helogin survivor of crime cope with aftermath

What did Strang’s meta Anastasia find about the reoffending rates after RJ that is a strength?

Offenders experiencing f2f RJ were significantly less likely to offend compared to those who only experienced custodial sentencing

Reduction is larger in violent crimes than crimes against property

Fulfil aim of deterrence

What did wood and Suzuki find that didn’t support RJ having a positive impact on victims?

RJ can be distorted as survivors of crime are used as a way of helping to rehabilitate offenders rather than being helped themselves

So needs of survivor are seen as secondary, RJ effective in reducing reopening but come at cost to victim