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Restorative Justice: Giving victims a voice

What is Restorative Justice?

Restorative justice gives victims the chance to meet or communicate with their offenders to explain the real impact of the crime – it empowers victims by giving them a voice. It also holds offenders to account for what they have done and helps them to take responsibility and make amends.

Restorative justice is about victims and offenders communicating within a safe environment to talk about the harm that has been caused and finding a way to cope and recover from that harm.

Government research demonstrates that restorative justice provides an 85% victim satisfaction rate, and a 14% reduction in the frequency of reoffending.

For victims, meeting the person who has harmed them can be a huge step in moving forward and recovering from the crime.

For offenders, the experience can be incredibly challenging as it confronts them with the personal impact of their crime.

Restorative Justice in North Yorkshire

View video transcript

How does it work?

Victim-led restorative justice in North Yorkshire, where a victim meets their offender, are led by a facilitator who supports and prepares the people taking part and makes sure that the process is safe. Sometimes, when a face to face meeting is not the best way forward, the facilitator will arrange for the victim and offender to communicate via letters, recorded interviews or video.

For any kind of communication to take place, the offender must have admitted to the crime, and both victim and offender must want the interaction to take place.

Restorative justice can be used for any type of crime and at any stage of the criminal justice system, including alongside a prison sentence.

The Restorative Justice Council advocates the use of safe, high quality restorative justice wherever and whenever it is needed.

Restorative justice is increasingly being used outside of the criminal justice system, where it is referred to as restorative practice.

Restorative practice is effective in building strong relationships and can help prevent and manage conflict in schools, children’s services, workplaces, hospitals, prisons and communities.

Restorative Justice

Through Supporting Victims you will be able to access victim-led restorative justice in the form of a victim-offender conference.

If you are a Professional

You can make a direct online referral to the Restorative Justice Service by clicking Make a Referral

  • Just enter your email address once you have clicked on the link above.
  • An email will be sent directly to your professional inbox where you can select the ‘Restorative Justice’ referral link.
  • This will take you to an online form where you can enter the referral details.
  • Please enter the main person being referred in the ‘Client’ tab and the other party – if you have their details – in the ‘Referral’ tab.

For more information contact Supporting Victims or Restorative Solutions details below:

[email protected] – 01609 643100

[email protected] (add ‘.cjsm.net’ to make the address secure) – 01423 546175