What is Restorative Justice?...
Restorative Justice works to resolve conflict and repair harm. It encourages those who have caused harm to acknowledge the impact of what they have done and gives them an opportunity to make reparation. It offers those who have suffered harm the opportunity to have their harm or loss acknowledged and amends made.
Conflict between people is inevitable, but when it occurs, restorative justice can help to restore the balance in a just and fair way. In resolving the harm done it can work to prevent it happening again. Facing-up...it means cutting through the 'defensive' attitudes that prisoners take to their crimes. Burglars will often say..."they've committed no violence, the insurance covers the costs, so where is the Victim?" The truth is that a huge amount of damage is done when a home is broken into...the psychological harm can lead to marriages breaking up! People can become afraid to leave their home...they think they're being targeted and being watched!
Facing-up...to the fact that someone is on the receiving end! For example someone who has been 'drug-dealing' in their view to feed their own habit? They might say: "I'm only drug dealing, they want the drugs anyway...there aren't any victims!" But, when they see and hear from a mother of a girl who died of a drug overdose, they hear the human tragedy...the pain suffered by the parents and siblings. How their behaviour can affect families...it has a profound effect...not always, but often...it can provide the trigger for wanting to change.
In the Criminal Justice Setting...
a) The Offender is seen as having committed an offence against the State!
b) Victims have very limited opportunity to say how they have been affected by an incident.
c) The system keeps 'Victims' and 'Offenders' apart and others speak for them.
In a Restorative Justice setting...
a) The harm done by a Crime is an offence against the Person or Community.
b) Victims are allowed the opportunity to participate.
c) Victims and others may be brought together with an impartial mediator to consider what happened and find out what can be done to help put it right. This can be used within communities...where anti-social behaviour has caused damage and/or disruption to residents.
d) Taking responsibility on the part of the 'Offender' is encouraged.
What is your view of Restorative Justice? We are keen to know if you have any experience of Restorative Justice...did you feel it worked? Write to: ann@KnifeCrimes.Org
Further information - www.yjb.gov.uk/en-gb/yjs/VictimsofCrime/RestorativeJustice
E. & O. E